Jill Biden Says She Thought Joe Was ‘Having A Stroke’ During Debate Disaster
Jill Biden is now admitting she feared her husband Joe Biden was “having a stroke” during his disastrous 2024 debate performance against Donald Trump — despite publicly defending him at the time and insisting he performed well.
In a new interview tied to the release of her upcoming memoir, “View from the East Wing,” Jill Biden said she had never seen her husband in that condition before and claimed the moment terrified her.
“I was frightened, because I had never, ever seen Joe like that before or since. Never,” she said. “As I watched it, I thought, ‘Oh, my God, he’s having a stroke.’”
The June 27, 2024 debate became one of the defining political moments of the election cycle after Biden repeatedly froze on stage, stumbled through answers, and appeared visibly confused in front of a national audience.
Despite the alarming performance, Jill Biden publicly praised her husband immediately afterward during a stop at an Atlanta Waffle House, telling supporters he had done a “great job” and “answered every question.”
Former aides and Democrats quoted in the report blasted the former first lady’s latest comments as far too late, arguing that she helped shield the public from the true state of Biden’s condition during the campaign.
Former East Wing communications director Michael LaRosa said the public perception surrounding Biden’s decline had already been cemented long ago.
“The cake is already baked when it comes to shaping public perception about that time and about her,” LaRosa said.
The White House initially blamed Biden’s debate collapse on a cold before later pointing to jet lag and over-preparation. The disastrous showing ultimately intensified pressure from Democrats for Biden to step aside from the race.
Less than a month later, Biden dropped out of the presidential contest and endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who later lost decisively to Trump in both the Electoral College and the popular vote.
The interview is also renewing scrutiny over Jill Biden’s role inside the White House during the final stretch of Biden’s presidency. Former aides have long alleged she wielded enormous influence over scheduling and political strategy as concerns about the president’s age and cognitive condition mounted behind the scenes.
The revelations come as both Bidens prepare memoirs following their departure from the White House, with reports indicating the family faces mounting financial pressures tied in part to millions of dollars in legal bills accumulated by Hunter Biden before he received a presidential pardon from his father.