The New York Times editorial board has asked President Joe Biden to step down for a better candidate to contest against his predecessor and Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump.

The Times made this call in an editorial piece published on Friday, a day after Mr Biden’s poor performance in the 2024 presidential debate against Mr Trump.

Mr Biden has been an admirable president,” The Times said. “But the greatest public service Mr Biden can now perform is to announce that he will not continue to run for re-election.”

It added, “The clearest path for Democrats to defeat a candidate defined by his lies is to deal truthfully with the American public: acknowledge that Mr Biden can’t continue his race, and create a process to select someone more capable to stand in his place to defeat Mr Trump in November.”

Citing Mr Biden’s below-par performance during the debate on Thursday, The Times said, “The truth Mr Biden needs to confront now is that he failed his own test,” adding that the American president’s “performance cannot be written off as a bad night or blamed on a supposed cold, because it affirmed concerns that have been mounting for months or even years.”

The Times argued that Democrats have “better equipped” persons to put forward as their candidate in the November 5 election, adding that they will be taking a huge risk fielding Mr Biden against Mr Trump.

“There is no reason for the party to risk the stability and security of the country by forcing voters to choose between Mr Trump’s deficiencies and those of Mr Biden. It’s too big a bet to simply hope Americans will overlook or discount Mr. Biden’s age and infirmity that they see with their own eyes,” The Times said.

Though Thursday’s debate availed Mr Biden, 81, an opportunity to dismiss fears about his cognitive decline, his fumbling, incoherence and appearing lost during the debate have raised more questions as to whether he is fit for office.

As Mr Biden’s poor performance in Thursday’s debate trends on X, the American president tried to appease his followers and electorates.

“Folks, I might not walk as easily or talk as smoothly as I used to. I might not debate as well as I used to. But what I do know is how to tell the truth,” Mr Biden tweeted on Friday.

Similarly, his party men and predecessors, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, came to Mr Biden’s aide, urging their followers to look beyond the debate.

“I’ll leave the debate rating to the pundits, but here’s what I know: facts and history matter. Joe Biden has given us three years of solid leadership, steadying us after the pandemic, creating a record number of new jobs, making real progress, solving the climate crisis, and launching a successful effort in reducing inflation, all while pulling us out of the quagmire Donald Trump left us in. That’s what’s really at stake in November,” Mr Clinton tweeted.

Mr Obama also tweeted on Friday, “Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself. Last night didn’t change that, and it’s why so much is at stake in November.”