David Axelrod, a former advisor to Barack Obama who has been vocally critical of Biden since his poor debate, says the president was wise to hold a press conference on the sidelines of the Nato summit.

"Shaky on other stuff," Biden, he says, "is very comfortable on national security issues."

On liberal-leaning network MSNBC host Rachel Maddow noted Biden's halting speaking style, saying that it could prove to be a liability for voters.

“There’s a big mismatch between his stylistic presentation and his truly masterful command of the subject matter,” she said.

Fox News' website headlines on the phrase "Commander in Chief" after Biden mistakenly said he was consulting with his commander in chief about Ukraine. He appeared to quickly catch and correct the error, because as president, Biden is the only commander in chief.

Image source, Getty Images

Connecticut Congressman Jim Himes has become the latest Democrat to call for Biden to go, issuing a statement immediately after Biden's press conference concluded.

"Joe Biden’s record of public service is unrivaled. His accomplishments are immense. His legacy as a great president is secure," he posted online within moments of Biden leaving the stage.

"He must not risk that legacy, those accomplishments and American democracy to soldier on in the face of the horrors promised by Donald Trump."

Himes is the top ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, and the first Connecticut lawmaker to call for Biden to stand aside.

If you're just joining us, Biden just wrapped up an hour-long press conference.

Here what you need to know:

• The president began the press conference by referring to his vice-president as "Vice-President Trump" and did not correct the gaffe.
• When asked about calls from a handful of his Democratic colleagues to step aside, Biden said he's not in the presidential race for his legacy but to "complete the job I started".
• The president said he doesn't need to undergo cognitive testing and repeated that he's tested every day in this job. He went on to say that if he saw two doctors or seven, no one would be happy with the scope of medical testing.
• Biden insisted the campaign had barely started yet and said he was confident that he could beat Trump.
• The president was also repeatedly questioned about the abilities of Vice-President Harris and said she was fit to lead, which is why he picked her as his running mate.
• Biden, speaking from the Nato summit, fielded a handful of questions about foreign policy, and the US's challenge of contending with China and Russia.
• In his final question Biden was asked about the delegates who have pledged support to him at the upcoming DNC in Chicago: "They're free to do whatever they want, but I got overwhelming support."
• He added that if everyone at the convention decided they would prefer another candidate, that would be "the democratic process". But he then whispered: "It's not going to happen".

Biden shows no indication he's ready to stand downpublished at 01:40 British Summer Time 12 July

01:40 BST 12 July

Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America correspondent, reporting from Nato

Joe Biden took the stage at his Thursday night press conference with everything on the line - his presidency, his re-election hopes, his very political life.

If those were the stakes, he barely acknowledged it. He dismissed the concerns about his campaign that were posed again and again by the gathered reporters and promised that he was fighting not his legacy, but to finish the job he started when he took office in 2021.

Depending on perspective, it was either a sign of dogged determination or of a man in denial about how dire his situation has become.

The Harris-Trump gaffe might become the most memorable takeaway from the evening, overshadowing what was a more steady performance than his debate showing two weeks ago.

That, of course, is a decidedly low bar to clear. And it might not be enough to stop more Democrats from coming out against him. But at least on Thursday night, the president showed no indications that he was ready to stand down his campaign.

Before leaving the stage, Biden took one last shouted question from a reporter.

The reporter noted that Biden misspoke at the beginning of his news conference, referring to Donald Trump as his vice-president.

The reporter said that Trump is currently criticising him for the mistake, and asks whether he has any response.

"Listen to him," Biden says sarcastically, before leaving the stage.

One of the last questions asked by a reporter is about whether the campaign showed Biden polling that suggested Harris could beat Trump if the president steps aside.

Biden dismissed the question and said the polling doesn't exist.

"How accurate does anybody think the polls are these days?" he said, telling the reporters that he could show them polls that a number of different things.

"I think... I know, I believe " I'm the most qualified.

Biden also acknowledged other people could beat Trump.

Just before the end of the press conference, Biden is asked about the primary delegates that he has won, and whether they will back him for president at the party conference when the nominee is formally chosen.

Are the delegates free to vote their conscience? the reporter asked.

"Obviously they're free to do whatever they want," he says, adding that he currently has "overwhelming support".

"If I show up to the convention and they say they want someone else, that's the democratic process," he says, before quickly adding in a whisper: "Not gonna happen."

Biden has finished his press conference.

Stick with us as we bring you all the latest reactions and analysis.

Biden again is reiterating that he's neurologically sound and is tested every day in the job.

"No matter what I did, no one is going to be satisfied, 'did you have seven doctors or did you have two'," he rhetorically says.

Biden says he has taken three intense neurological exams as president and passed.

"I'm not opposed, if the doctors tell me I should have another," he says.

After maintaining an even tone during most of his news conference, Biden shows a sudden burst of anger as he brings up the topic of gun crime in the US.

"Control guns, not girls," he says.

"More children are killed by a bullet than any other cause of death," he says, raising his voice.

"In the United States of America. What the hell are we doing?"

"I've got to finish this job. Because there's so much at stake," he says, before criticising Trump and the US Supreme Court for not upholding gun laws.

Biden has been speaking for nearly an hour, answering questions from the press.

He has also taken more questions than was originally expected.

The White House has telegraphed that this press conference should calm fears about Biden's candidacy and show he has the vitality to run.

Image source, Reuters

"I determined I'm running," Biden says. "I think it's important I allay fears."

We have an extensive campaign organisation throughout the country, he goes on to emphasise.

He appears nervous about making mistakes and keeps saying "anyway" and asks people not to cite figures he provides.

Biden is asked about his 2020 campaign, which he called a "bridge candidacy" that would allow a transition to a younger generation of leaders.

"What changed?" the reporter asks.

Biden says the circumstances of the country have changed.

"What changed was the gravity of the situation I inherited in terms of the economy, foreign policy, and domestic division."

"It's time to end this war," Biden says.

He notes that he wishes that he had been able to convince the Israelis to do more to limit the fallout of the war, but he says the Israelis have been "less than cooperative".

The president reiterates that he is doing as much as he can to get both sides to agree to a ceasefire.

Biden was asked about where the current ceasefire plan stands after 10 months of war and if he wished he did anything differently.

"I know Israel well and I support Israel," he says, adding that he does not regret visiting the country quickly after the 7 October attack.

But the president goes on to note that Israel's war cabinet is the most conservative war cabinet in the country's history, which he says is a challenge.

"There's no other answer here than the two-state solution," he says.

A reporter asks Biden again if he believes he will be able to deal with Putin and Xi two or three years from now, if he wins re-election.

I'm ready to deal with them now, and three years from now," he says.

"Look, like I said, I'm dealing with Xi right now. I'm in direct contact with him.

"I have no good reason to talk to Putin right now," he adds, noting that this is because Putin has shown no willingness to "accommodate change in his behaviour".

"There isn't any world leader that I'm not prepared to deal with," he says.

"I'm not ready to talk to Putin unless Putin is ready to change his behaviour."

He goes on to say that Russia "lies like hell" about the war in Ukraine, and has already lost 350,000 troops in combat.

"I'm ready to talk to any leader that wants to talk, including Putin," he says.

A reporter just asked Biden if he will be able to negotiate with Putin or Xi Jinping in a few years time, given some of his recent missteps.

Biden says he's spent more time with Xi than anyone. He estimates that, including his time as vice-president, he has spent more than 90 hours with him.

But he then seems to veer off, as he begins discussing several other foreign policy talking points.

At the start of this press conference, President Joe Biden mixed up his Vice-President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. You can watch the moment here.