Joe Biden has told an ally he is weighing up whether to run against Donald Trump in November’s US election, the New York Times is reporting.
Joe Biden said overnight on Tuesday he “nearly fell asleep” during last week’s first presidential debate during which commentators widely said he performed poorly.
The New York Times, which called for President Biden to step aside after the debate, is reporting an anonymous “key ally” of the president said: “He knows if he has two more events like that, we’re in a different place” by the weekend.
They emphasised the president is still fighting for re-election but that he understands his next few appearances are pivotal.
Another anonymous adviser told the New York Times the president was “well aware of the political challenge he faces”.
President Biden put his performance down to travel exhaustion after going “around the world a couple of times” shortly before the debate.
The US president, 81, admitted he “wasn’t very smart” for having travelled extensively in the weeks leading up to the first TV debate of the election campaign in Atlanta.
Read more: The key moments in the first US presidential election debate
His performance was such that friends and foes alike have told him to quit the race for the White House.
Mr Biden told supporters at a campaign event in Virginia on Tuesday: “I decided to travel around the world a couple times, going through around 100 time zones.”
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He added he “didn’t listen” to his staff, “came back and nearly fell asleep on stage”.
“That’s no excuse but it is an explanation,” he added while admitting: “I didn’t have my best night.”