WATCH: Biden Starts Coughing Immediately During First Debate Answer

Americans were stunned by President Biden’s opening statement at the first presidential debate of the 2024 campaign on Thursday.

From the moment Biden started speaking, the president sounded worn out and spoke with a raspy voice. He proceeded to deliver a rambling speech on the state of the economy while trashing his predecessor’s economic record.

(STAY INFORMED! Download the FREE Trending Politics app for debate night)

The president’s answer to a question on the economy was widely inaudible, though he attempted to claim that former President Trump’s economic record was disastrous due to his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Biden struggled to get words out and briefly attempted to clear his throat, Trump shot him a concerned look before cracking a smirk.

Just moments later, Biden froze up while answering a question about the national debt. After stuttering for about seven seconds, debate co-moderator Jake Tapper was forced to interject and inform the president that his time had expired. “Thank you, Mr. President,” Tapper said while receiving a blank, wide-eyed stare from Biden.

VOTE NOW: Do you blame BIDEN or TRUMP for the crashing economy?