White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden‘s poor performance at the first 2024 presidential debate was a result of a cold and jet lag from his world travels.

Biden spent Wednesday doing damage control with Democratic power brokers, including calls with senior lawmakers, an all-staff briefing to his 2024 campaign and Democratic National Committee, and a convening of Democratic governors at the White House on Wednesday evening.

Despite the president’s outreach, Jean-Pierre faced a litany of questions at Wednesday’s press briefing about Biden’s decision to stay in the race. She insisted the president will not drop out for what the White House deemed as one bad night.

“You all ask, ‘Hey, is he under the weather?’ and we confirm that he’s under the weather,” she stated in one exchange. “He pushed through. That’s what this president does. He is going to continue to fight for the American people.”

“He pushed through it. I think anybody who does that, not just the president, should be commended,” Jean-Pierre continued. “You heard him say this on Friday: When you get knocked down. You get back up.”

Still, Jean-Pierre conceded that the past few days have been “challenging” for the president’s team.

White House chief of staff Jeff Zients held an all-staff call with White House officials Wednesday morning where he urged staff to remain united, tune out the “noise” regarding the president, and take pride in what Biden has accomplished in office

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When asked about Biden’s current mental fitness for the job, Jean-Pierre called the president “as sharp as ever.”

You can watch Wednesday’s briefing in full below.