Journalists Jake Tapper of CNN and Alex Thompson of Axios are set to release an exposé on President Joe Biden’s decision to run for reelection despite his declining health. Their book suggests that this choice, referred to as an “original sin,” paved the way for President Donald Trump’s return to the presidency.
The book, titled “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again” is scheduled for release on May 20, 2025, by Penguin Press.
According to promotional material, the book connects Biden’s choice to seek reelection—a decision masked by denial and manipulation—with Trump’s reelection. The authors liken the 2024 American political landscape to a Greek tragedy, with Biden’s efforts to avoid his fate only serving to secure it.
Tapper and Thompson assert that Biden’s poor performance during the June 2024 debate was no fluke but was indicative of the decline of an 81-year-old man. They suggest that Biden’s family and team placed their interests and fears of another Trump term above the recognition of the president’s diminished abilities.
The forthcoming book claims to reveal the extent of Biden’s cognitive issues and the number of insiders aware of them, from White House staff to congressional leaders, governors, donors, and figures in Hollywood.
Thompson hinted at revelations in the book, telling Axios, “This book is as much of a human story as a political one. Stay tuned — you won’t believe what we’ve found.”
Concerns regarding Biden’s fitness for office, heightened by his June 2024 debate performance, led to his withdrawal from the race on July 21, 2024. He endorsed former Vice President Kamala Harris, who won the Democratic nomination but lost to Trump in the general election.
Many journalists have acknowledged their failure to sufficiently report on Biden’s cognitive decline during his presidency. Reporters such as Matt Yglesias, Josh Barro, and Mehdi Hasan have expressed regret at not questioning Biden’s fitness for office earlier. Some suggested that more aggressive reportage might have initiated a Democratic primary and potentially altered the election’s outcome.
Reports stated that the Biden administration restricted who the president could speak with and the information he could access, which may have contributed to the public’s limited awareness of his health condition. Journalists who raised questions about Biden’s health were reportedly “blackballed” by the White House.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly warned Biden privately that he would likely lose to Trump, and his continued campaign could jeopardize the Democrats’ chances of retaking the House. While Biden publicly stated his intent to run, sources suggest he was more open to withdrawal discussions privately.
Throughout his presidency, the White House defended Biden’s health. Official medical reports found no evidence of conditions like Parkinson’s disease or stroke, but noted his stiff gait due to spinal degeneration and peripheral neuropathy. Biden also had sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation, and a history of brain aneurysms.
Biden declined comprehensive cognitive testing, stating that his daily presidential duties served as sufficient cognitive assessment. His medical team reported regular verbal check-ins during his exercise routine.
In their book, Tapper and Thompson suggest that Biden’s decision to run for reelection was not just a political misstep, but a moral failing with significant ramifications for American democracy. The publisher describes it as a “shockingly narcissistic, self-delusional, and reckless” decision that facilitated Trump’s return to power.
Forbes recently drew parallels between Biden’s cognitive decline and President Woodrow Wilson’s concealed stroke in 1919, highlighting the ethical dilemma of hiding a president’s health condition from the public and questioning who was truly leading in both cases.
“Original Sin” is anticipated to reveal new information about the extent of Biden’s decline and the deliberate attempts to hide his condition from the public. For Democrats still grappling with their 2024 defeat and Trump’s return to the presidency, the book may provide insightful, if uncomfortable, lessons on what went wrong and how it could have been avoided.
