President Joe Biden told Democratic governors on Wednesday that he has established a new bedtime, according to breaking news reports. In a White House meeting, the president announced that he would stop scheduling events after 8 p.m. to allow more time for sleep, three sources told CNN.
The New York Times was the first to report on the 81-year-old president’s response to concerns about his age following a challenging debate against former President Donald Trump, who was convicted earlier this year on criminal charges.
Biden assured 20 state leaders that he felt confident in his ability to defeat Trump and govern for another four years, according to the reports. The president told his staff that he just needed more sleep, multiple sources told the Times.
“He repeatedly referenced pushing too hard and not listening to his team about his schedule and said he needed to work fewer hours and avoid events after 8 p.m.,” a source told the Times. Biden reportedly quipped to Gov. Josh Green of Hawaii, a physician, “It’s just my brain.”
Sources told CNN they were frustrated by Biden’s response. “Some of the participants have been rankled by the statement of loyalty and enthusiasm from them distributed by the Biden campaign on Thursday,” CNN reports. The White House and the Biden campaign did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.