Jill Biden says Joe was ‘slowing down’ before abandoning 2024 bid
Jill Biden said in a CBS interview that Joe Biden appeared to be “slowing down” as he pursued reelection in 2024, while denying that he had cognitive decline. She argued the change she noticed was consistent with aging and said she never saw signs of his mind deteriorating during his time in public life.
Her comments also addressed the uproar after Biden’s June 2024 debate with Donald Trump, when he frequently lost his train of thought and stumbled, prompting widespread concerns about his stamina and fitness. Jill Biden said she was “vigilant” about his health and claimed his stage IV prostate cancer was missed by White House doctors-highlighting that, even though he received strong care an vital issue was overlooked.
She further acknowledged that she was frightened by his debate performance and thought he might be having a stroke,later noting that he did not “rally” as she expected. Her remarks contrasted with her earlier public defense of his capabilities after the debate,when she had praised him for doing a “great job” and had rejected calls for him to step aside,emphasizing that the decision ultimately had to be his.
Former first lady Jill Biden said her husband was “slowing down” as he sought reelection in 2024 but rejected claims that former President Joe Biden was experiencing cognitive decline before abandoning his bid for a second term following a disastrous debate performance.
In an interview aired Sunday on CBS News’s Sunday Morning, Jill Biden acknowledged concerns about her husband’s age while defending his fitness for office during the campaign that ultimately ended with his withdrawal from the race.
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“He was the same, the essence of the same Joe Biden, but yeah, he was slowing down,” Jill Biden said. “He was getting older. It’s a very intense job. I think it ages you, quickly. Look at the other presidents. I mean, in comparison, when they started in office and got out of office. It was natural aging.”
The comments come nearly two years after Joe Biden’s June 2024 debate against President Donald Trump, a performance that intensified questions about the then-81-year-old president’s age, stamina, and ability to serve another four-year term.
During the debate, Joe Biden frequently lost his train of thought, stumbled over answers, and appeared hoarse, fueling concerns among voters and party leaders.
Jill Biden told CBS correspondent Rita Braver she never saw signs of Joe Biden cognitively declining.
The former first lady said she was “vigilant” about her husband’s health, adding that his stage IV prostate cancer was missed by White House doctors.
“Well, you know the doctors said that, according to the American Urological Association, that men over 70 don’t need a PSA, a blood test, anymore because it’s a slow-growing cancer,” she said. “I do feel we had amazing care in the White House, but somehow that was missed.”
A preview of Jill Biden’s interview with Braver was released Wednesday, showing a clip of the former first lady saying she was “frightened” by her husband’s debate performance, claiming she thought he was having a stroke. She said she thought the former president would “rally” and be fine.
“But he got in there, he got into the debate, and he didn’t,” she said.
Her admission marked a reversal of her public defense of Joe Biden following the debate, where she praised him for doing a “great job” and for “knowing all the facts.” After his performance, party leaders, donors, and elected officials increasingly questioned whether Joe Biden could defeat Trump.
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She said it was “hurtful” to hear calls for her husband to step down, adding that she was asked to step in, but declined, saying it “had to be his decision.”
“I mean, when you love somebody, and you see people attacking them, I mean, it’s hard,” Jill Biden said.
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