Former US First Lady Jill Biden has revealed that her husband’s 2024 presidential debate performance against Donald Trump was so alarming that she briefly feared he was suffering a stroke on stage.
In an upcoming interview with CBS News Sunday Morning, Jill Biden said she had never seen President Joe Biden appear in such a state before or since the televised debate.
“I was frightened, because I had never ever seen Joe like that before or since. Never,” she said in a clip released ahead of the broadcast.
“I don’t know what happened. As I watched it, I thought, ‘Oh, my God, he’s having a stroke.’ And it scared me to death.”
During the debate, then 81-year-old Joe Biden struggled with his delivery, at times stumbling over words, pausing mid-sentence, and losing his train of thought while responding to Donald Trump.
The performance sparked widespread concern across the Democratic Party about his fitness for office, eventually contributing to his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race in favour of then Vice President Kamala Harris.
Despite her later comments, Jill Biden had immediately defended her husband after the debate, telling supporters at an event that he had performed well and handled questions effectively.
“Joe, you did such a great job. You answered every question, you knew all the facts,” she said at the time.
Following Biden’s withdrawal from the race, Kamala Harris led the Democratic ticket but ultimately lost the general election to Donald Trump after a shortened campaign.
The interview is expected to renew debate in US political circles about Biden’s health and decision-making during the final phase of his presidency.
