President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden navigate their final days in the White House amid strained relationships with key Democratic figures and growing personal tensions.
According to the Daily Mail, the First Lady is reportedly encouraging her husband to "burn the whole thing down" in their remaining weeks, targeting former allies including Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, and Nancy Pelosi, who pushed for Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 race.
The deteriorating relationships have become increasingly evident at recent White House events, where the Bidens have notably distanced themselves from former close allies.
Their actions signal deepening rifts within the Democratic Party following Biden's decision to step down from the 2024 presidential race in June and his subsequent controversial pardon of his son Hunter.
The tensions became apparent at the Kennedy Center Honors in December, where Nancy Pelosi, once a 50-year friend of the president, was relegated to the orchestra section after previously enjoying privileged seating in the presidential box. The First Couple also pointedly ignored Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, during the ceremony, despite their presence in the presidential box.
Florida attorney John Morgan, a Democratic mega-donor, suggested Biden's quick endorsement of Harris for the 2024 race might have been an act of retaliation. Morgan shared his perspective on the situation:
[Biden] basically had the palace coup from all directions, from George Clooney to Pelosi. I think he got pissed off [and] said, "F*** you", and gave us Harris.
The president's relationship with Harris has further deteriorated following her electoral defeat to Donald Trump last month, with Biden reportedly struggling to comprehend how she lost both the popular vote and electoral college despite significant campaign funding.
The typically festive atmosphere of the White House holiday season has been noticeably subdued this year. Both the president and first lady were absent during the first week of December, when many traditional holiday events are usually held, with Biden in Africa and Jill in Europe.
Staff parties have been reduced in number and scheduled at less convenient times, with some Democratic members receiving White House tours instead of party invitations. The White House staff party was notably held at 1 p.m. on a Monday, requiring employees to return to work afterward.
The president's emotional state has become increasingly apparent, with observers noting him wiping away tears during a November donor dinner on the South Lawn. Friends attribute his melancholy partly to seasonal depression, particularly around the anniversary of his first wife and daughter's deaths in 1972.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are concluding their White House tenure amid fractured relationships with key Democratic figures who pushed for Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race. Their response has included distancing themselves from former allies and making controversial decisions that have heightened tensions within the party.
The First Couple's actions in their final weeks, from reduced holiday celebrations to strategic seating arrangements at official events, reflect their strained relationships with party leaders and their apparent desire to settle scores before leaving office.
As they prepare for life after the presidency, the Bidens have made it clear they intend to remain in the public sphere despite potential resistance from within their own party.
