Biden’s team allegedly hid his decline while publicly denying health issues before the 2024 campaign withdrawal.

White House Denials Under Renewed Scrutiny

As revelations continue to surface about President Biden's cognitive and physical state prior to his 2024 campaign withdrawal, former press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s public denials are facing increased criticism. During a press briefing shortly after Biden exited the race in July 2024, Jean-Pierre rejected allegations of a cover-up when questioned about the former president’s health. “There’s been no cover-up,” she asserted, defending the administration’s stance amid growing skepticism.

Jean-Pierre’s remarks came in response to questions suggesting that the administration and members of the media knowingly avoided addressing Biden’s evident decline. At the time, she dismissed the narrative as unfounded speculation. However, newly published claims from Biden insiders suggest a coordinated effort to suppress concerns about his condition while orchestrating strategic media messaging.

Insiders Allege Strategic Deception

According to excerpts from the book Original Sin, co-authored by political journalists, key figures within Biden’s inner circle admitted to actively managing perceptions of his health. One unnamed aide reportedly told the authors, “We were hiding [Biden],” while conceding that the media also enabled the deception. The aide is quoted as saying they were surprised by how much they were able to “spin.”

The book describes a systemic approach in which staff were directed to downplay or outright deny health concerns. It alleges that individuals like former deputy press secretary Andrew Bates were instructed to mislead reporters, despite lacking firsthand knowledge of Biden’s day-to-day condition. Tapper and Thompson write that most press aides rarely interacted with the president and depended on filtered briefings from senior staff.

The authors further assert that the administration maintained a “modus operandi” of aggressively countering any press inquiry into the president’s age or health. This included publicly challenging reporters and discouraging further scrutiny through reputational pressure, according to the reporting.

These tactics, according to former staffers cited in the book, were part of an orchestrated campaign to shield Biden’s deteriorating state from public view, even as signs of cognitive and physical strain became increasingly apparent behind the scenes.

Recent developments have only intensified the debate. Biden has since been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, and the Department of Justice released audio of his 2024 interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur, in which apparent cognitive impairments were evident. These developments have led to renewed questions about the transparency of his final months in office.

Jean-Pierre and representatives for Biden have not commented on the allegations or the content of the book. However, the mounting evidence has fueled bipartisan concern over how presidential health is communicated and managed at the highest levels of government.