Inside the White House call to completely blindsided staff 20 HOURS after finding out Biden dropped out online: What Joe's chief-of-staff said to bemused aides

White House unit sewage a pep talk connected Monday morning, 20 hours aft President Joe Biden dramatically dropped retired of nan statesmanlike race, but it grounded to admit their frustrations pinch learning nan news alongside nan American public.

Chief of Staff Jeff Zients held a six-minute telephone telephone pinch staff, which 1 White House charismatic described arsenic 'rah rah' successful nature.

Zients praised nan administration's accomplishments frankincense acold and told unit location was still activity to beryllium done, according to a signaling obtained by DailyMail.com.

But he didn't admit that unit wasn't fixed a heads up connected Biden's decision. 

Biden pulled nan plug connected his 2024 reelection bid Sunday pinch an announcement connected X, blindsiding astir White House aides and his run staff.

On nan call, Zients is heard telling White House aides that Sunday was a 'momentous day' and that nan Biden management would beryllium remembered 'as 1 of nan effective, consequential presidencies successful American history.'

He said that beyond what nan 81-year-old leader said connected societal media Sunday, Biden's connection to unit was that location was much activity to beryllium done. 

'Every clip I meet pinch nan president, and peculiarly successful nan past 24 hours, he ever emphasized really overmuch much activity we person to do to decorativeness nan job,' Zients said. 

Biden has been recovering from COVID-19 astatine his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware location since testing affirmative while connected nan run way successful Las Vegas connected Wednesday. 

Only a fistful of elder unit had been alerted successful beforehand of Sunday's announcement - that Biden would time off nan title and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris to return his spot arsenic Democratic nominee. 

Zients made clear that it was an charismatic White House call, which meant he was barred from talking astir nan run owed to nan Hatch Act. 

'The White House counsel said if there's 1 point I couldn't talk astir and that was nan adjacent POTUS - president of nan United States - whoever she whitethorn be,' Zients teased. 

'I tin opportunity nan president has made clear wherever he stands connected their early and I'll fto him speak for himself and I'll simply convey Vice President Harris for her bonzer activity for 3 and a half years,' nan main of unit added. 

One adjutant told DailyMail.com precocious Sunday day that they felt 'relieved.' 'Most group connected unit consciousness a operation of relief, gratefulness, hope,' nan root said. 

Staffers seen astatine nan White House connected Monday seemed resigned to nan full situation. 

Zients reiterated respective times passim nan telephone that White House unit needed to stay a team. 

'So we request to do what this squad does truthful well, which is execute and get worldly done,' he said astatine 1 point. 'It's important that we enactment adjacent arsenic a squad to get that done.' 

At different constituent successful nan telephone he said, 'And I conscionable love, love, emotion nan teamwork.' 

'Everyone's caput down, locked arms, getting activity done and having each other's back,' Zients said. 

He encouraged aides to 'really attraction connected bonzer execution crossed nan adjacent six months connected behalf of nan American people'  

As he said they needed to 'run though this together and decorativeness this job.'