Donald Trump, following Thursday evening's debate performance in which Joe Biden displayed all the debate skills of a sea cucumber, is now predicting that Joe Biden will nevertheless remain the Democrat standard-bearer going into the November election. Trump spoke to Fox News Digital on the topic shortly after (justifiably) declaring victory in Thursday evening's first presidential debate.

The Trump campaign declared victory shortly after the showdown ended, saying the former president and presumptive Republican nominee "delivered the greatest debate performance and victory in history to the largest voter audience in history, making clear exactly how he will improve the lives of every American." 

"Joe Biden on the other hand showed exactly why he deserves to be fired," Trump campaign co-chairs Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said in a statement Thursday night. "Despite taking a week-long vacation at Camp David to prepare for the debate, Biden was unable to defend his disastrous record on the economy and the border." 

They added: "President Trump is spot-on when he says that if Joe Biden is too incompetent to stand trial, then Biden is too incompetent to be President."

There was little need to speculate about Biden being incompetent to stand trial, as on Thursday, Biden himself demonstrated very plainly that he's incompetent to stand upright for 90 minutes and manage to croak out a few coherent statements, and even the legacy media can't ignore that any longer.

See Related: Chris Wallace: Joe Biden 'Sunk His Campaign' at the Debate

However, while Trump himself said that he believes Biden will be the nominee, he offered no reasons for that belief.

With a raspy voice and delivering rambling answers, Biden struggled during portions of Thursday night's debate. He also lost his train of thought several times, raising concerns among his closest allies in politics and in the media. 

Sources told Fox News that some Democrats were even suggesting the possibility of replacing Biden as the nominee at the Democratic nominating convention in August. 

But during the exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Trump was asked if he believes Biden will be the Democratic nominee. 

"Yes, I think he will be the nominee," Trump said.

That's a difficult statement to make at this point, given the meltdown that is occurring among national Democrats Friday morning. There will almost certainly be a drive to convince the Biden/Harris ticket to step aside at the convention unless Joe Biden's increasing physical and mental deterioration somehow suddenly reverses in a manner previously unknown to medical science. Alternatively, the Democrat Party rules allow for such a swap (even if he doesn't agree to it) after the convention.

See Related: Yes, Democrats Can Replace Biden - With Newsom or Anyone They Want. Here's How.

Donald Trump and his campaign, no doubt, are hitting their knees every evening, praying to keep Joe Biden exactly where he is. Maintaining the Biden/Harris ticket would be the worst blunder the Democrats have made since firing on Fort Sumter; it is tantamount to ensuring Trump's non-consecutive second term. Some Democrats are already on record to the shriveling pro-Biden wing of the party, pointing out (correctly), "Do you want more Trump? Because this is how you get more Trump."

It will almost certainly go to the convention. It's not impossible that some group of Democrats will choose, as happened with Richard Nixon, to bell the cat and convince old Joe to resign "for reasons of health," and no such reason for resignation has ever been more justified. But then they are stuck with Kamala Harris. So, the convention it is likely to be, and whatever the outcome, this will cause rifts in the Democratic Party that may never heal.