In a new book, Ron Klain, Joe Biden’s former White House chief of staff, paints a concerning picture of Biden’s mental and physical state before his debate with Donald Trump. This event led to Biden relinquishing the Democratic nomination to Kamala Harris. Klain served Biden from 2021 to 2023 and returned in June 2023 to help with debate preparation. However, he found Biden to be out of touch, unaware of Trump’s statements, and struggling to understand basic campaign issues. Despite Klain’s efforts to prepare Biden, his performance in the debate was disastrous. After the event, Biden decided to step down from the race, which Klain believed was an avoidable tragedy. The book, written by journalist Chris Whipple, also touches on the struggles Harris faced in winning over party elites. Whipple suggests that Biden’s decline was a result of a delusional and denial-filled inner circle, rather than a conspiratorial cover-up.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/apr/02/biden-ron-klain-trump-debate-prep-book-chris-whipple