Biden bungles Trump diss at Fourth of July event for military families as the fight for his political future clouds holiday festivities

President Joe Biden continued to struggle when going off-script Thursday as he tried to insert a jab at former President Donald Trump into his Fourth of July remarks.

The president and first lady Jill Biden, alongside Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, spoke to military families on the South Lawn - the first of two presidential appearances at the White House to mark the holiday. 

The 81-year-old is being heavily scrutinized after his car crash of a debate performance last Thursday, with a handful of Democratic lawmakers saying publicly they think Biden should bow out of the presidential race. 

His comments came just hours after an interview with a black radio station in Philadelphia where the president appeared to confuse his gender and race. 

The White House has pointed to an upcoming interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos to prove Biden is able to speak off-the-cuff but he muddled his comments when he slid off the teleprompter Thursday. 

'By the way, you know I was at that World War I cemetery in France and a - the one that one of our colleagues, a former president, didn't want to go and be up there,' Biden said. 'I probably shouldn't even say that. Anyway,' he continued, his voice going low. 

President Joe Biden continued to struggle when going off-script Thursday as he tried to insert a jab at former President Donald Trump into his Fourth of July remarks

President Joe Biden is being heavily scrutinized after his car crash of a debate performance last Thursday against former President Donald Trump (pictured) 

At another point in the speech he again said, 'by the way.' 

'I've been all over the world,' he said, his voice dropping to a mumble. 'I've been in and out of battles, anyway. You're incredible,' he told the military members and their families gathered on the South Lawn. 

The president started greeted members of the crowd when he was told that his presence outside meant that more guests weren't being let inside the White House gates. 

Biden promised to come back and out and talk to people. 

A supporter yelled, 'keep up the fight. We need you.'

'You got me man. I'm not going anywhere.' 

Biden then continued, 'I'll come back out when they let - open the gate, OK? Thank you, thank you, thank you.' 

President Joe Biden (left) and first lady Jill Biden (right) arrive on the South Lawn for the first of two apperances marking the Fourth of July 

President Joe Biden walks over to attendees during Thursday evening's Fourth of July picnic, set up for military families 

He then stalled his exit by telling one more story. 

'When I was senator, there was always congestion on the highways. There's no congestion anymore,' Biden said. 

He was talking about the perks of having the presidential motorcade. 

'And the way to get me to stop talking they'll say we just shut down all the roads, Mr. President,' Biden said. 

'I'll be back out,' he promised.   

There was a cloud over Thursday's festivities - and it wasn't just the pop-up shower in the late afternoon - as Biden's political future hangs in the balance. 

After Democratic governors expressed support - though tepidly at first - over the president's decision to stay in the race, meeting attendees started leaking juicy details to the press. 

President Joe Biden poses for pictures after giving brief remarks aimed at military members and their families on the Fourth of July 

The New York Times reported that the president told the governors he wished to stop hosting events after 8 p.m. in an effort to get more sleep. 

During the same meeting, Gov. Josh Green of Hawaii asked Biden about his health.

The president replied that his health was fine.

'It's just my brain,' he then said.

Some governors took the commnt as a joke, while at least one found it strange, the newspaper said.  

Jen O'Malley Dillon, Biden's campaign chair, later played clean-up.

'He was clearly making a joke,' she said.