Former US First Lady Jill Biden has said she thought her husband, former President Joe Biden, was having a stroke during the 2024 presidential debate, which was widely criticized for his poor performance.
"I was scared, because I had never seen Joe like that before or since. Never," Jill Biden told CBS News.
“I don’t know what happened,” she said. “As I looked at him, I thought, ‘Oh my God, he’s having a stroke.’ And that scared the hell out of me.”
President Biden faced intense pressure from Democrats to withdraw as their nominee after his poor performance in a debate against then-Republican nominee Donald Trump. Biden subsequently withdrew from the race and endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
Jill Biden has stood by her husband throughout his long career, from his time as a Delaware senator to his years as president.
She was considered one of the most influential advisors during his presidency and among those who ultimately encouraged him to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.
After the June 2024 debate, a few months before the presidential election, Democrats expressed concern about the president's shaky performance in the debate.
Biden's campaign insisted at the time that the president would not withdraw as the Democratic nominee and that he would debate Donald Trump again.
During the debate, where both candidates were aiming for a second term, Biden and Trump clashed over major issues such as immigration, the economy and abortion rights.
Biden had a hoarse voice, which his team said was due to an illness, and there was a moment when he seemed to lose his train of thought.
At a post-debate event in Atlanta, Jill Biden introduced her husband to the stage and praised his performance against Trump.