American President Joe Biden has admitted that he almost slept on stage during last Thursday’s presidential debate against former President Donald Trump, blaming his poor performance on jet lag. 

“I nearly fell asleep on stage,” Mr Biden said at a fundraiser in Virginia on Tuesday night. He added It “wasn’t very smart travelling around the world a couple of times” before debating Republican’s Mr Trump.

Mr Biden, 81, said “I didn’t listen to my staff,” adding that “It’s not an excuse but an explanation,” for his poor outing last Thursday. 

America’s first presidential debate of the 2024 election season which was held Thursday saw Mr Biden appear confused, stuttering as he lost his flow of thought during the debate. But his campaign team said his shaky voice was a result of a cold. 

A day after the debate, The New York Times in an editorial piece asked Mr Biden to step down for a better candidate to contest against Republican presidential candidate, Mr Trump. 

Almost a week after the debate, Mr Biden is explaining his poor performance to American voters as many express concerns on his cognitive and mental decline. 

Although last Thursday’s debate availed Mr Biden an opportunity to dismiss worries about his mental acuity, his incoherence and shaky voice during the debate raised more questions on whether he is fit for another four years in the White House.

Hosted by CNN, it was an historic debate for America as it was the first to feature a sitting president and a former president. For the duo of Mr Biden and Mr Trump, it was a rematch having debated in the 2020 presidential election season. 

CNN’s poll on who won the debate showed 67 per cent chose Mr Trump as the winner, while 33 per cent voted Mr Biden winner of the debate.

With 5.5 marginal error, the poll also showed 57 per cent have no confidence in Mr Biden’s ability to lead America, while 44 per cent felt the same about Mr Trump.

With five months to the election scheduled for November 5, both candidates might still debate on other platforms to sell their ideas to American voters.