Karine Jean-Pierre insists Biden plans to serve all four years of a second term

President Biden is committed to serving a full second term if he is reelected in November, the White House said Tuesday.

Mr. Biden, 81, is facing widespread questions about his ability to campaign for reelection or serve another term ​after his terrible debate performance ​last month highlighted his advanced age.

He would be 86 at the end of a second term, raising additional questions about whether he is trying to secure victory and pass the baton to Vice President Kamala Harris at some point.

Asked if Mr. Biden planned to fulfill another term, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre flatly responded, “Yes.”

Ms. Jean-Pierre also rejected any notion that the tide is turning against Mr. Biden as he fights to reassure party leaders of his fitness before the Democratic National Convention in August.

She said the president “understands people’s concerns” but pointed to statements of support from key Democrats, including the Congressional Black Caucus.

“There is a long list of congressional members who have been very clear in support of this president,” she said.

She also pointed to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which said it supports Mr. Biden.

“And there are others,” Ms. Jean-Pierre said.

Yet several House Democrats have called on Mr. Biden to step aside. It is unclear if the president plans to call them.

“I don’t have a list of people that the president’s going to call,” Ms. Jean-Pierre said, adding that Mr. Biden would remain engaged with Democratic lawmakers.

“He’s on fire, he’s ready to go,” Ms. Jean-Pierre said. “He wants to get out there and continue to show that he has more work to do.”

The White House says Mr. Biden’s halting debate performance on June 27 was due to a cold and jet lag, though Mr. Biden has suffered mental miscues throughout his term.

Reporters on Tuesday pressed Ms. Jean-Pierre on Mr. Biden’s medical history — and the White House’s transparency about it — for the second time in as many days.

A CNN reporter pointed to Ms. Jean-Pierre’s claim that late Rep. Jackie Walorski was “top of mind” when he asked if she was in the room at a White House event in September 2022, even though she’d died in a car accident.

Pressed on whether she stood by those comments in hindsight, Ms. Jean-Pierre said the explanation came straight from Mr. Biden.

“I spoke to the president right before coming out that day and that is what the president told me,” Ms. Jean-Pierre said.