Jill Biden has revealed that she was 'frightened' while watching her husband Joe Biden's faltering performance during the 2024 presidential debate against Donald Trump, and thought he might have suffered a stroke. In an interview with CBS set to air on Sunday, the former first lady described her shock at seeing the president struggle.
Jill Biden's Account of the Debate
“I was frightened, because I had never, ever seen Joe like that before or since. Never,” Jill Biden said in a 30-second clip from the interview. “As I watched it, I thought: ‘Oh, my God, he’s having a stroke.’ And it scared me to death.”
The debate, held in Atlanta on June 27, 2024, saw an 81-year-old Joe Biden repeatedly stumble over his words, take long pauses, and speak inaudibly. At one point, his rambling response prompted Trump to quip: “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either.”
Biden's performance sparked widespread alarm among Democrats, leading to calls for his withdrawal from the race. Under immense pressure, Biden ended his re-election bid and endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris, leaving her just 107 days to campaign before the November 2024 general election.
Biden's Debate Gaffes
During the 90-minute showdown, Biden attempted to criticize Trump's tax cuts and handling of the national debt but misspoke, declaring: “We finally beat Medicare.” His team later clarified that he meant to say his administration had “beat big pharma,” but the error highlighted concerns about his mental acuity and physical condition as the oldest US president.
Biden also veered off-topic when asked about reproductive rights, shifting to references about women killed by immigrants—a point frequently emphasized in Republican talking points.
Jill Biden's Support and Memoir
Despite the debate disaster, Jill Biden has remained a stalwart supporter of her husband. Shortly after the June 2024 debate, she praised his performance at a rally, saying: “Joe, you did such a great job. You answered every question. You knew all the facts.”
Next week, the former first lady will release View from the East Wing, a memoir about her time in the White House. In it, she is expected to share her account of her husband's fraught re-election campaign and his historic decision to withdraw.
