Jill Biden Reflects on Joe Biden’s 2024 Campaign Decision

Jill Biden has shared insights about her support for former President Joe Biden’s 2024 reelection campaign, despite a challenging debate performance that led to his withdrawal from the race. Speaking on TODAY, she discussed her book, View From the West Wing: A Memoir, where she describes supporting her husband after a debate with Donald Trump in June 2024.

During her conversation with Craig Melvin, Jill Biden reflected on whether she would make the same decision if given the chance to go back. She stated, “As I look back, would I want to put Joe through the hurt and the pain that we felt during that time? Never.” She emphasized that the decision to run had to be Joe’s alone, as he would live with it for the rest of his life.

After the debate, Jill Biden publicly praised Joe’s performance by saying it was “great” and noted he “answered every question.” However, the debate raised concerns about his cognitive health. On TODAY, she shared her internal struggle at the time: “My mind is racing. What do I say to him? I’m his wife. I’ve got to lift him up.” She felt it was important to support him publicly, especially in front of their supporters.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who succeeded Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee, mentioned in her memoir that she didn’t believe his departure was due to mental incapacity. In her 2025 book, 107 Days, Harris wrote that it was a personal decision by Joe and Jill Biden.

The former president faced accusations about his cognitive abilities, responding by suing the Justice Department to prevent the release of private conversation recordings related to his 2017 memoir. A report by former special counsel Robert Hur mentioned memory issues, which the White House denied. In 2025, audio surfaced of a conversation where Joe Biden’s lapses were evident.

By May 2025, a book titled Original Sin raised questions about Joe Biden’s mental fitness during the 2024 campaign. The book noted an incident where he didn’t recognize actor George Clooney. Joe Biden disputed these claims during an interview on The View, stating, “There’s nothing to sustain that.”

In May 2025, Joe Biden revealed his diagnosis of an aggressive prostate cancer, following previous skin cancer treatment in September 2025. Jill Biden mentioned on TODAY that the cancer has metastasized to his bones. “He’s doing OK,” she noted. She acknowledged the seriousness of the diagnosis by saying, “Joe will live with cancer till the rest of his life.”