In an editorial published on Saturday, titled "To Serve His Country, President Biden Should Leave the Race," The New York Times (NYT) editorial board urged US President Joe Biden to withdraw from the upcoming presidential race.

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The editorial board's stance follows Biden's performance in the first US presidential debate against Republican opponent Donald Trump, held on Thursday.

The debate, aired live on CNN, highlighted Biden's struggle to articulate his plans for a second term and to effectively counter Trump's provocations.

Critics pointed to Biden's difficulty in maintaining coherence throughout the debate as evidence of potential health issues that could compromise his ability to serve.

"Voters, however, cannot be expected to ignore what was instead plain to see: Mr. Biden is not the man he was four years ago," the editorial emphasized.

While acknowledging Biden's past achievements and dedication to public service, the board stressed the urgent need for the Democratic Party to rally behind a more compelling leader who can present a robust alternative to Trump's divisive agenda.

The editorial stopped short of withdrawing support entirely, indicating that if Biden remains the Democratic nominee facing Trump in November, the board would endorse him reluctantly, underscoring the severity of the threat posed by Trump's candidacy.

In response to the debate fallout and concerns raised about Biden's fitness for office, Republican Representative Chip Roy filed a resolution calling on Vice President Kamala Harris to convene the Cabinet under the 25th Amendment.

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This move would involve declaring Biden "unable to discharge the powers and duties of the presidency," potentially transferring presidential duties to Harris as acting president.

The 25th Amendment to the Constitution allows for such actions when the president is deemed unfit to fulfill his duties, either due to physical or mental incapacity.