Former president Barack Obama reportedly spoke with Bernie Sanders several times over the last few weeks as Sanders determined the next steps for his 2020 presidential campaign, which he suspended on Wednesday.
The Vermont senator spoke with Obama multiple times recently, including on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. Although the details of what they discussed remain private, they were said to be in agreement that Democrats’ top priority should be defeating President Trump in November.
Sanders dropped out of the race on Wednesday, saying he could not “in good conscience continue to mount a campaign that cannot win.” But he pledged to remain on the ballot in states that have not held their primaries yet, hoping to amass delegates who would give him influence over the party platform at the Democratic National Convention.
His decision leaves Obama’s former running mate, Joe Biden, as the presumptive Democratic nominee.