Inside the Weekend When Biden Decided to Withdraw

“I need you and Mike at the house,” President Biden said late Saturday afternoon.

Mr. Biden was on the phone from his vacation home in Rehoboth, Del., with Steve Ricchetti, a counselor to the president and one of his closest advisers. He was referring to Mike Donilon, his chief strategist and longtime speechwriter. Soon, both men were in Rehoboth, socially distanced from the president, who was recovering from Covid.

From that afternoon and far into the night, the three worked on one of the most important and historic letters of Mr. Biden’s presidency — the announcement of his decision to withdraw from his re-election campaign after top Democrats, donors, close allies and friends had pressured him relentlessly to get out.

He would not tell most of his staff until a minute before making the historic announcement to the world on social media on Sunday. Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Mr. Biden went on to endorse, spoke to him earlier on Sunday morning, as did Jeff Zients, his chief of staff, and Jen O’Malley Dillon, his campaign chair. A handful of senior advisers at the White House heard directly from the president on a Zoom call. Others in the West Wing learned when they saw it pop on social media.

“I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down,” he wrote, “and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”

The concession was stunning, and discordant with the steady drumbeat of furious denials in the past few days from Mr. Biden’s campaign. It underscored how the president has kept information tightly controlled among a tiny circle of friends, longtime advisers and family members — something that has been true throughout his presidency, but especially during the crisis that has engulfed him since last month’s debate.

From the time the president arrived in Delaware with Covid late Wednesday night, telling reporters “I am doing well,” there have been two political realities: One was a sprawling campaign infrastructure on autopilot, determined to march ahead by continuing to champion Mr. Biden. The other was playing out inside the 6,850-square-foot home with a sign over the front door paying tribute to the president’s son who died in 2015: “Beau’s gift.”