Joe Biden's Stroke Fears Shock — Jill Admits She Thought Ex-Prez Was Suffering Medical Crisis During Trainwreck Debate Against Trump
Jill Biden feared her husband Joe was having a stroke during his 2024 debate debacle.
May 27 2026, Published 7:40 p.m. ET
During Joe Biden's disastrous June 2024 presidential debate against Donald Trump, his wife, Jill Biden, was so alarmed by his confused performance that she feared he was having a stroke, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The live debate televised on CNN showed the then-president stumbling over words, losing his train of thought, and taking long pauses, resulting in widespread panic within the Democratic Party and Joe's ultimate withdrawal from the race the following month.
Jill Biden Feared Husband Joe Was Having a Stroke on the Debate Stage
Jill Biden claimed husband Joe has never acted like he did in the 2024 debate 'before or since.'
When asked by correspondent Rita Braver whether she was "horrified" watching it all unfold, Jill chose a different word in an upcoming interview that airs on CBS Sunday Morning on June 1.
"I was frightened, because I had never, ever seen Joe like that before or since. Never," the former first lady explained.
When asked what went wrong, Jill recalled, "I don’t know what happened. As I watched it, I thought, 'Oh, my God, he’s having a stroke.’ And it scared me to death."
Joe Biden's Debate Answers Even Confused Donald Trump
Joe Biden appeared tired and confused in his June 2024 debate against Trump.
Not only did Joe make massive blunders on his own, but Trump also capitalized on them.
The former Vice President got horribly lost while talking about taxing the wealthy to fund healthcare, appearing confused and meandering into a mention of COVID-19 before declaring, "Look, if we finally beat Medicare," referring to the federal program that provides health care to senior citizens.
Trump seized on the gaffe, proclaiming, "He did beat Medicare. He beat it to death. And he's destroying Medicare because all of these people are coming in," referring to illegal aliens.
The tycoon also pounced when Joe got so lost discussing the crisis at the border, saying, "And I’m going to continue to move until we get the total ban on the...the total initiative relative to what we’re going to do with more Border Patrol and more asylum officers."
Trump pointed out, "I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don't think he knows what he said either.”
Jill Biden Tried to Comfort Joe After His Debate Debacle
Jill Biden tried to comfort her husband after the disastrous debate, but some thought she sounded more like a caregiver.
While Joe ultimately made it through the 90-minute debate against a far more coherent and articulate Trump, Jill was seen talking to her husband after it ended and was caught speaking to him in a way that alarmed some viewers.
"Joe, you did such a great job. You answered every question. You knew all the facts," Jill told a somewhat lost-looking Joe, as the video went viral, causing some to worry that she sounded more like a teacher or caregiver than a supportive spouse.
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'We Are Not Going to Win in November With This President'
Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and was replaced by his Vice President, Kamala Harris.
In the immediate aftermath of the debate, greater concern arose about the then-81-year-old president's cognitive health and whether he was mentally fit for another four years in office.
Some Democrat lawmakers began suggesting Joe step down from the race, and longtime party supporter and fundraiser George Clooney even penned a New York Times essay published on July 10, 2024, titled "I Love Joe Biden. But We Need a New Nominee."
"It's devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fundraiser was not the Joe 'big F-ing deal' Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate," the Oscar-winning actor shared.
Clooney brutally added, "We are not going to win in November with this president."
Biden announced on July 21, 2024, he was dropping out of the race in the "best interest of my party and the country."
His Vice President, Kamala Harris, was elevated to the top of the ticket after securing Biden's endorsement and delegates. She lost to Trump in a blowout November 2024 election, in which the current Commander-in-Chief secured a second term by winning all seven swing states.
