President Joe Biden informed a “key ally” that he is thinking about whether he should drop out of the 2024 White House race, according to a new report.

The New York Times reported the development on Wednesday as Biden, 81, faces a crisis of confidence among his fellow Democrats after his fumbling debate performance last week.

“President Biden has told a key ally that he knows he may not be able to salvage his candidacy if he cannot convince the public in the coming days that he is up for the job,” the report said.

Biden has an interview with ABC News scheduled for Friday, one day after the July 4 holiday. The White House also announced that the president would travel to Madison, Wisconsin, and Philadelphia in the coming days.

“He knows if he has two more events like that, we’re in a different place,” the unnamed ally told The New York Times, alluding to Biden’s halting debate presentation.

The White House pushed back on the report after its publication.

“That claim is absolutely false. If the New York Times had provided us with more than 7 minutes to comment we would have told them so,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates said in a post to X.

That claim is absolutely false. If the New York Times had provided us with more than 7 minutes to comment we would have told them so. https://t.co/SRTYIVTy7v

— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) July 3, 2024

Biden sought to assuage concerns at a campaign rally in North Carolina last Friday, one day after the debate, acknowledging to supporters that he is no longer a young man.

“I don’t debate as well as I used to,” Biden said at the event, adding later, “but I know how to do this job.”

At a fundraiser this week, Biden said he “almost fell asleep” on the debate stage.

Multiple news outlets reported that members of Biden’s family urged him to stay in the race during a weekend gathering at Camp David and took aim at the president’s aides over his debate preparations.

POLITICO reported first lady Jill Biden and Hunter Biden, the president’s son who was recently convicted of gun crimes and faces another trial on tax charges, were the “loudest voices” pressing Joe Biden not to drop out.

Still, many Democrats are panicking about the election, and there is growing pressure on Biden to step aside, including from donors and at least one member of Congress, and give the party the chance to rally behind an alternative nominee.

Polling from CBS News and YouGov after Biden’s rocky debate performance found that 41% of Democratic registered voters and 72% of registered voters overall do not believe Biden has the mental and cognitive health to serve as president.

Vice President Kamala Harris is catching up to Biden in the betting markets for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. California Governor Gavin Newsom, another potential contender, is also gaining momentum.

Biden is expected to huddle with Democratic governors, including Newsom, on Wednesday evening in an effort to reassure them of his ability to continue campaigning for a second term.

Trump said on Truth Social on Monday that Biden’s debate performance put “a BIG GAP” between them for the president to “make up, and with his mind and memory completely shot, and marbles in his mouth, it’s not going to happen!”