Former first lady Jill Biden has disclosed that she feared her husband, then-President Joe Biden, was suffering a stroke during his widely criticized performance in the June 2024 CNN debate against Donald Trump.
In a clip from an upcoming CBS News interview with Rita Braver released Wednesday, Jill Biden was asked if she was “horrified” watching Biden on stage that night. She responded, “I was frightened, because I had never ever seen Joe like that before or since, never.”
During the debate, Biden’s voice was hoarse, and he frequently struggled to complete sentences, trailing off mid-answer. The poor showing immediately triggered calls from Democratic operatives and lawmakers for him to exit the race.
“I mean, as I watched it, I thought, ‘Oh my god, he’s having a stroke,’” Jill Biden said. “And it scared me to death.”
Biden withdrew from the race the following month and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who ultimately lost to Trump in the general election. The former president later told ABC News’s George Stephanopoulos in July 2024 that he had been “feeling terrible” on debate day, though he defended himself against questions about his age and mental fitness.
When Braver pressed Jill Biden to explain what caused her husband’s on-stage behavior, she said, “I don’t know what happened.”
The full interview is set to air Sunday morning, ahead of the June 2 release of Jill Biden’s memoir, “View From the East Wing.” In a previous interview, she described writing the book as “cathartic,” adding, “I wrote about all the, you know, sometimes painful — but other times, most of it really beautiful moments that Joe and I shared during his presidency,” she told The Associated Press.
The revelation adds fresh scrutiny to the debate that reshaped the 2024 race and continues to fuel discussions about Biden’s health. It also comes amid ongoing political battles, including Trump’s cabinet meeting where Iran talks stalled and Ebola screenings were tightened, and Trump hailing Paxton’s Texas win as a midterm bellwether.
