Jill Biden Says Joe Should Be Remembered as a 'Hero' for Dropping Out of 2024 Presidential Race Against Trump
Jill Biden said her husband was 'heroic' in quitting the 2024 presidential race.
Aug. 26 2026, Updated 6:33 p.m. ET
Jill Biden hailed her husband, Joe Biden, as a “hero” for making the decision to drop out of the 2024 Presidential Election, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
During an appearance on Jamie Kern Lima's eponymous podcast, the former first lady denied pushing her husband to abandon his reelection bid, even though Joe reportedly turned to her for advice as Democratic heavyweights called for him to bow out amid questions about his cognitive ability.
'I Thought What He Did Was Heroic'
Jill Biden denied she had any part in Joe's decision to end his election campaign.
"There was so much pressure for Joe to step down and to step aside, and he was losing the support of the Democratic Party. And Joe said to me, you know, 'What do you think, Jill? What do you think I should do?'" she explained to the podcast host.
"And I said, 'No.' I said, 'You make this decision yourself.' I said, 'Whatever decision is made, you have to be able to live with it the rest of your life.' And I said, 'I am not going to weigh in for or against,'" she recalled.
"I kept true to that. And Joe's advisers came in and they, you know, it was...But Joe, I think, saw the direction that things were going, and he decided to step aside," she continued. "I mean, I thought what he did was heroic. I mean, he gave up everything."
Jill Biden Said Joe's Decision 'Was Hard for Him'
Jill Biden said husband Joe told her he had 'no choice' but to drop out of the race.
Jill recalled how Joe had a heavy heart after announcing he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.
"I think it was hard for him. But I can remember, you know, going upstairs that night and getting in bed, and I said, 'Joe, how are you doing?' And he grabbed my hand, and he said, 'Jilly, I had no choice.'"
"And, so, he had to step aside. I mean, that's who Joe was," Jill said.
His Vice President, Kamala Harris, was ultimately tapped to replace Joe in the election, but she lost to Donald Trump.
Jill Biden Claimed Husband Joe Only Intended to Serve One Term
Jill Biden said Joe 'was not going to run for two terms.'
Jill also claimed that Joe had originally planned to serve just one term in the White House.
She maintained it was his advisers – buoyed by Democrats' midterm electoral momentum in 2022 – who pushed Biden to seek another four years, repeatedly urging him: “He has to run. He has to run.”
"In the beginning, I mean, Joe did not, was not going to run for two terms. He was only going to run for that one term," Jill revealed to Lima. "And I think people forget that historical context because of all the negative overlay. They forget the true story of what happened."
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Jill Biden Was Really Proud' of Joe's Sacrifice
Jill Biden said she was 'proud' of the decision her husband reached about a second term.
"I'm hoping that it's revealed in history and that becomes Joe's legacy...that he did it because he believed in, you know, listening to the American people," Jill shared. "I mean, I was really proud. I knew how hard it would be, but he did it."
