On July 2, President Biden had a private conversation with a close ally during which he expressed regret for spending too much time on foreign policy and blamed jet lag and fatigue from recent trips to Europe for affecting his debate with Donald Trump. He admitted that the back-to-back trips were a mistake and could have contributed to his poor performance. Despite preparing extensively for the debate, President Biden’s delivery and overall performance were widely criticized. He stuttered, appeared distracted, and spoke in a weak voice during the 90-minute debate.
President Biden’s allies reported that he took responsibility for his lackluster debate performance and attributed it to his focus on foreign affairs. He recognized the importance of the upcoming days for his re-election campaign and acknowledged that he needed to improve his performance. However, in response to reports that he might consider suspending his campaign if upcoming events did not go well, his press secretary and top campaign aide denied the information, emphasizing that the President was focused on his accomplishments, vision, and campaign goals. They refuted claims that he was considering withdrawing from the race and expressed confidence in his ability to continue his re-election campaign.