Jill Biden, former First Lady of the United States, revealed she was very frightened while watching her husband Joe Biden during the 2024 election debate because she had never seen him behave like that before, to the point she thought he might be having a stroke.
On 28 May 2026, Jill Biden, former U.S. First Lady, disclosed that she was extremely fearful while watching the 2024 U.S. presidential election debate, as she feared her husband, Joe Biden, might have been experiencing a stroke.
In an interview with CBS News, Mrs. Biden recounted that while watching Joe Biden on the debate stage, she was very shocked because she had never seen him exhibit such symptoms throughout their life together and never saw them again afterward, leading her to immediately think a medical emergency might be occurring.
That debate took place between Joe Biden, then the U.S. president, and Donald Trump, as both sought a second presidential term. Although they argued over key issues like immigration, the economy, and abortion rights, the main focus was on Biden's performance, which included a hoarse voice, moments of hesitation, and seeming off-topic at times.
Biden's team at the time explained he was ill with a sore throat, while the campaign insisted he would not withdraw as the Democratic nominee and was ready to debate Trump again. However, the debate raised serious concerns within the Democratic Party and reignited voter doubts about Biden's age, health, and readiness, as he was 81 years old then.
Pressure continued to mount in the following weeks, especially after Biden made speaking errors during a NATO meeting and appeared weakened after recovering from COVID-19, which ultimately led to his decision to end his presidential campaign.