2024 election updates: Manchin the latest to call on Biden to end reelection bid

As President Biden faces mounting calls from prominent Democrats to drop out of the race, a member of his inner circle flatly denied reports that the president is now more open to the idea of ending his campaign.

"Anyone who has talked to Joe Biden in the last 24 hours can tell you that is not true," the senior White House official, who has spoken to Biden today, told ABC News.

The official said nothing has changed regarding Biden's candidacy and the campaign, with the exception that COVID is keeping him home.

"He is going to win the nomination and then the party is going to need to unite," the official said.

The senior official expressed anger and frustration at the criticism Biden is taking from fellow Democrats, acknowledging that the calls for the president to drop out have taken a toll and will likely cause further erosion in the polls.

This official also told ABC News that reports to the contrary are coming out of Congress, and not from those who truly know the mindset of the president.

"He is preparing to hit the campaign trail again next week," the official said.

-ABC News' Jonathan Karl

President Joe Biden in an interview with BET said he would be open to relinquishing the presidency during his second term if health reasons dictated it, though he dismissed the possibility as unlikely.

"Only if I was told that there was some medical condition that I had, and that's not the case," the president said when asked if he would turn over power to Vice President Kamala Harris if he couldn't complete a second term.

In the pre-taped interview, which aired in full Wednesday night, Biden told BET's Ed Gordon that he would keep serving as long as the effects of his increasing age don't impact his ability to do the job.

He also acknowledged he would be willing to evaluate his capabilities on a year-to-year basis.

-ABC News' Will McDuffie, Gariella Abdul-Hakim and Fritz Farrow

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi spoke with President Joe Biden a week ago, telling the president that she and other members of the Democratic Party are concerned about him staying in the race, a source confirms to ABC News.

Pelosi told the president that the calls for him to step down from the ticket would grow, sources said.

It is possible that Pelosi could suggest Biden should step down publicly, a source said.

The news about Pelosi’s behind-the-scenes moves comes as associate Rep. Adam Schiff, who is running for Senate, spoke out publicly earlier Wednesday, saying Biden should “pass the torch.”

The president tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday afternoon, the White House said.

Biden is experiencing "mild symptoms," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

Biden was campaigning in Las Vegas and attended one event earlier in the day, according to Jean-Pierre.

"He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time," she said.

The White House doctor provided more details, stating Biden had a runny nose, "and non-productive cough, with general malaise." The president's temperature was 97.8 degrees and he had taken his first dose of Paxlovid, the doctor said.

-ABC News' Justin Fishel