The recent disclosures about former President Joe Biden's state of health during his presidency have ignited extensive discussions and concerns.
New reports reveal a concerted effort to shield the public from the true extent of former President Joe Biden's health issues while in office, the New York Post reported.
It has been disclosed that Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, actively countered narratives about Biden’s declining health from early in his term. From dismissing fatigue related rumors to defending his cognitive capabilities, Jean-Pierre's efforts have been persistent and vigorous. There was a notable moment in June 2022 when Jean-Pierre robustly reacted to former CNN anchor Don Lemon’s questions about Biden’s ability to serve an additional term. She said that questioning his stamina was wholly inappropriate given his accomplishments.
During her tenure, Jean-Pierre frequently challenged various claims concerning Biden’s health, labeling them as "ridiculous assumptions."
She firmly denied that Biden needed to end events early due to fatigue, and countered claims in September 2023 that staff treated Biden with kid gloves. This pattern of vigilantly guarding the perception of Biden’s health extended to more serious allegations of cognitive decline.
Jean-Pierre found herself under scrutiny again in mid-2024 when videos circulated showing Biden appearing disoriented. She labeled these as “cheap fakes,” denouncing them as an insult to the viewers and undermining trust in media reporting.
As controversy grew, a book by CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson emerged, suggesting deliberate attempts inside the White House to mask Biden’s cognitive challenges. Allegations included restricting cabinet secretaries' access to Biden and speculation about his potential need for a wheelchair in a subsequent term.
The public and internal party pressures peaked after a particularly troubling debate performance by Biden in June 2024. This led to intensified calls from within the Democratic party for his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, which he subsequently announced.
After Biden announced he would not seek reelection, Fox News' Peter Doocy confronted Jean-Pierre about potential cover-ups regarding the president’s health. She firmly denied these accusations, reiterating that there was no concealment of any issues. She maintained the narrative that the administration had been transparent.
Jean-Pierre commented on the situation in a press interaction: "First of all, there’s been no cover-up, I want to be very clear about that."
Amid these ongoing debates, special counsel Robert Hur’s decision to non-prosecute Biden for the handling of classified documents brought another dimension to the discourse about Biden's competence. Jean-Pierre criticized this portrayal of Biden as "an elderly man with a poor memory," arguing that the characterization was not only unjust but detached from reality.
Jean-Pierre staunchly defended Biden's capabilities throughout his term, emphasizing his robust agenda and the administration's achievements. In her view, the coverage and speculation about Biden’s health starkly contrasted with the reality of his active engagement in governance.
In a notably vigorous defense of President Biden back in June 2022, Jean-Pierre pointed out to the press:
"Oh my gosh. He’s the president of the United States … just look at the work he does. And look how he’s delivering for the American public."
Overall, the revelations about the internal concerns over Biden's health, coupled with the public defense mounted by his communications team, paint a complex picture of a presidency contending with severe challenges while striving to maintain public confidence. Jean-Pierre strongly opposed each report about his rumored health issues, drawing a line between public perception and internal realities.
