Explosive revelations unveil how staff shielded the president’s struggles from public scrutiny.
From the very start of his presidency, White House aides worked overtime to shield President Joe Biden’s apparent mental decline from public view, according to a bombshell report published Thursday. Behind the scenes, staffers adjusted schedules, prepped heavily for public appearances, and formed a tight circle to manage the 82-year-old president’s performance.
These revelations, reported by the Wall Street Journal and corroborated by aides, Democratic lawmakers, and donors, paint a startling picture of a presidency heavily managed from behind the curtain—raising serious questions about transparency and leadership.
A Carefully Controlled Presidency
According to insiders, the administration immediately limited Biden’s in-person interactions following his inauguration in January 2021. The public saw fewer large press conferences than any modern presidency, while the president’s gaffes at the podium became a frequent occurrence.
Behind the scenes, aides rescheduled meetings and events to accommodate the president’s “good days and bad days.” By spring 2021, this practice had become routine, with one national security official quoted as saying,
“Today was a bad day, so we’re going to address this tomorrow.”
Officials also adjusted briefing formats to make them short and to the point. Even high-ranking cabinet members, such as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, struggled to secure time with the president as his energy levels fluctuated.
Public Stumbles and Private Management
The president’s challenges became more visible as time went on. Biden frequently relied on large-print notecards for public remarks, mixed up names of foreign dignitaries, and stumbled over prepared lines during speeches.
Aides took extraordinary measures to manage these optics:
• First lady Jill Biden often stepped in to prevent the president from answering unscripted press questions, concerned he might fumble under pressure.
• Staffers removed negative news reports from his daily briefings, ensuring Biden received only filtered information about his administration’s performance.
• Biden’s difficulty navigating Air Force One stairs led to the use of a smaller staircase to avoid further public stumbles.
A Defensive White House
The Biden administration has dismissed these revelations, with Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates calling the characterization “misleading.” Bates defended Biden’s record, saying,
“President Biden leads a modern administration… Cabinet meetings are an important tradition, but the contemporary work environment means they can be fewer and far between.”
Despite these statements, the reported details paint a stark contrast to the White House’s public image. The carefully curated portrayal of Biden as a tireless public servant has been called into question as reports of managed appearances, selective briefings, and reduced interactions emerge.
These explosive revelations add a new layer of scrutiny to the Biden presidency, especially as the administration faces a public increasingly frustrated with perceived government opacity. While staff efforts may have shielded the president from missteps, the report raises a critical question: What does this level of control say about the state of American leadership?