By Kate Scanlon, OSV News

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — President Joe Biden argued July 11 that he is equipped to win the November election and serve another term in the White House in his first solo press conference since his performance at a debate raised concerns about his physical and mental acuity.

The high-stakes press conference — also the president’s first in eight months — took place at a NATO summit in Washington, as a growing number of congressional Democrats and some of the party’s top donors have raised concerns about his candidacy, or have called on him to step aside in favor of another candidate to run against former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, in November.

Biden’s press conference followed a significant gaffe earlier in the day, when he intended to introduce Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the conference, but called him “President Putin,” the Russian leader who ordered the invasion of Ukraine. Biden returned to the podium to correct himself, with Zelenskyy joking he is “better.”

Acknowledging during the conference “I have to pace myself a little more,” Biden nevertheless argued there is “no indication” he cannot do the job and he is in “good shape.”

“I’m tested every single day on my neurological capacity, the decisions I make every day,” he said, adding, “the only thing age does is help you create a little bit of wisdom if you pay attention.”

Biden, speaking at the summit of world leaders, demonstrated a grasp of his foreign policy priorities on several fronts, such as the conflict in Ukraine, but stumbled on a few points, most notably calling Vice President Kamala Harris “Vice President Trump.”

Praising Harris elsewhere in his comments, Biden argued, “I wouldn’t have picked her unless I thought she was qualified to be president.” Asked for her qualifications, Biden mentioned her advocacy for abortion access.

The press conference came amid reports additional Democratic lawmakers were considering publicly calling on Biden to step aside in favor of another nominee.

Nearly a week before fielding questions from reporters at the NATO press conference, Biden dismissed the possibility of stepping aside, indicating it would take a higher power.

“If the Lord Almighty came down and said, ‘Joe, get out of the race,’ I’d get out of the race,” Biden said to ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos.

Biden’s lackluster performance in his first debate against Trump June 27 — in which they talked about issues including abortion, migration, foreign policy, and the economy — raised questions about his ability to remain the presumptive Democratic nominee amid concerns over his age.

Asked by a reporter at the July 11 press conference if his delegates at the party’s upcoming nominating convention were free to support another candidate if they doubted his ability to do the job, Biden said, “Obviously, they’re free to do whatever they want, but I get overwhelming support.”

But as Biden is the presumptive Democratic nominee, the Democratic Party’s current rules mean nearly all of the delegates attending the Democratic National Convention Aug. 19-22 are pledged to support Biden on the first round of ballots, unless he withdraws his candidacy. However, some have suggested that since the convention’s rule states, “All delegates to the National Convention pledged to a presidential candidate shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them,” the “in good conscience” provision could be an avenue to replace Biden as the party’s nominee.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Biden argued that “the gravity of the situation I inherited in terms of the economy, our foreign policy, and domestic division” is keeping him in the race.

“I’m determined, I’m running,” he said, adding, “I’m going to be going around making the case of things that I think we have to finish,” citing gun violence prevention measures among those priorities.

“Control guns, not girls,” Biden said.

Biden, the second Catholic president in U.S. history, has previously been at odds with the U.S. bishops over his administration’s abortion policy but has won some bishops’ praise on refugee and climate-related policies, as well as mixed responses to his policies on immigration.