Joe Biden Struggles During US Presidential Debate with Donald Trump

Joe Biden had a tough time against Donald Trump in the first debate of the 2024 US presidential campaign.

In a highly anticipated and tense debate, President Joe Biden, who is 81 years old, struggled physically on stage against former President Donald Trump. Biden’s performance was marked by moments of hesitation, coughing, and difficulty staying coherent, raising concerns about his ability to continue his re-election campaign.

Millions of Americans watched the live debate from Atlanta, Georgia. Biden’s voice often wavered, and he frequently looked at his notes instead of speaking directly to the camera. The debate, which started with a focus on the US economy, saw Biden repeatedly mix up numbers, pause to correct himself, and lose his train of thought during a key discussion on tax policy.

In a particularly damaging moment, Biden’s rambling response on tax policy shifted to health policy, where he confusingly said, “Look, we finally beat Medicare,” before being interrupted by the moderators.

BREAKING: Joe Biden just froze on the debate stage.#PresidentialDebate2024 pic.twitter.com/XYvBWNOxGm — NOISE ALERTS (@NoiseAlerts) June 28, 2024

Trump quickly took advantage of the situation with a sharp reply: “That’s right, he did beat Medicaid, he beat it to death. And he’s destroying Medicare.” He added, “I really don’t know what he said, I don’t think he even knows what he said,” after another of Biden’s confusing answers.

The White House later told the media that the president had a cold, a claim Biden himself repeated to reporters, saying, “I have a sore throat.” However, this did little to ease the concerns raised by his performance.

Despite Biden’s struggles, Trump’s performance was not flawless either. The Republican candidate gave a series of clumsy responses and notably avoided confirming whether he would accept the results of the upcoming November election.

The debate was notable not only for its high stakes but also for the strict rules set by host CNN, which aimed to prevent the chaotic scenes of their 2020 encounter. Despite these measures, the evening was marked by sharp personal attacks.

Trump just released a brutal 95-second ad of Joe Biden’s debate lowlights: pic.twitter.com/enusIKHhwN — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 28, 2024

Biden called Trump a “sucker,” a “loser,” and a “convicted felon,” referencing Trump’s legal troubles involving a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Trump fired back, calling Biden “the worst president in history.”

In one of the night’s lighter moments, the two argued over their golfing abilities. Trump used a question about his mental and physical fitness to boast about his skill on the golf course, to which Biden responded with laughter and a jab about Trump’s weight. “Just look at what he says he is and compare it to what he is,” Biden joked.

He then offered to play a round of golf against Trump, on the condition that Trump carry his own bag. The exchange ended with Trump saying, “Let’s not act like children,” to which Biden replied, “You are a child.”

The debate was historic, marking the first time a sitting US president and a former president faced off on stage.