Mr. Biden coughed frequently — at one point stopping to apologize for coughing — during a White House speech Thursday to call for increasing taxes on the wealthy and corporations.

He also coughed repeatedly during remarks at the White House on Wednesday and during a campaign rally Monday for California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

When asked about the coughing, Ms. Psaki insisted it wasn’t an issue. She said there could be several reasons why the president needed to clear his throat, including having a little cold.