Inside the tense Democratic meeting where Biden was given an ultimatum to remain at the top of the ticket

When a flagging Joe Biden turned in a dismal presidential debate performance earlier this summer against Donald Trump, everyone from George Clooney to Jon Stewart called on the 81-year-old to quit the race.

But when Biden dug in and vowed to stay in it amid sagging poll numbers, one of his closest allies told the president’s advisers he would support the reelection bid on one condition: that his brain function be assessed by a pair of independent neurologists who would then present their findings to the public at a news conference.

According to an eye-popping report published Thursday by The New York Times, the information came from multiple people with firsthand knowledge of the situation.

The ultimatum itself was proposed by US Senator Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island and West Point graduate who heads up the Armed Services Committee, according to the newspaper.

A spokesman told the outlet that Reed’s proposal was not meant as an “ultimatum,” per se, but “to impress upon Mr. Biden’s aides the need to be proactive and transparent in the best interest of the president.

Rumblings about Biden’s age and ability to retain the Oval Office had been increasing in frequency and pitch since June’s disastrous debate against Trump. However, Biden held firm about his unwillingness to drop out.

In early July, Senate Democrats convened at their weekly luncheon, where nine out of 12 spoke forcefully against Biden’s stubbornness about his candidacy, the Times reported.

“It knocked my socks off how upset and angry people were, how the overwhelming majority got up and spoke really strongly,” Democratic Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York said.

A day earlier, an obstinate Biden had sent an open letter to Congress insisting