Joe Biden 'didn't recognise friend at event' as Democrats ramp up pressure on President

Joe Biden seemingly failed to recognise a friend at a major event as concerns grow over the 81-year-old's cognitive health and as Democrats pile the pressure on him to quit the US election race.

The US President is under growing pressure to step aside for a younger candidate following his disastrous performance in a debate with Donald Trump in June.

Mr Biden's faltering and confused performance has crystallised latent fears that he is too old for America's top job. He and the White House have continued to insist he will not quit the US election race and can still beat Trump in November.

His position, though, was further undermined by a Democratic congressman, who has revealed a worrying memory lapse at the 80th D-Day anniversary event in Normandy.

Seth Moulton, who represents a district in Massachusetts, claimed Mr Biden seemingly failed to recognise him when the two met at the event.

He added he had "treasured" Mr Biden as a "mentor and friend" since 2014 when the president organised a big rally for his general election campaign.

Mr Moulton said: "Every time we crossed paths and I caught his eye, he would break into that big, wide Joe Biden grin and say how glad he was to see me.

"It was like that just last Christmas at the White House Ball," he wrote in a column in the Boston Globe.

"More recently, I saw him in a small group at Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. For the first time, he didn't seem to recognise me."

He added it was a "crushing realisation" and he was "no longer confident" that Mr Biden could win the presidential race.

Mr Moulton is one of around 35 Democrats who have called on Biden to step down before it is too late to change course.

Support for Biden among political donors is also hemorrhaging, with many pausing payments to the party.

Despite the cacophony of calls to quit, a defiant Biden said he was determined to soldier on.

The US president, who is recovering from a bout of Covid, said on Friday he was looking forward to "getting back on the campaign trail next week."

A statement put out by his campaign team reinforced the message that the Democrat is not for turning.

"Joe Biden has made it more than clear: He’s in this race and he’s in it to win it," the statement read.

"Moreover, he’s the presumptive nominee — there is no plan for an alternative nominee.

"In a few short weeks, Joe Biden will be the official nominee. It is high past time we stop fighting one another. The only person who wins when we fight is Donald Trump."