A recent book highlights how First Lady Jill Biden’s political influence grew notably during the latter part of her husband’s presidency, amid questions about President Joe Biden’s cognitive state.
The publication, titled “2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America,” was released on July 8 by journalists Josh Dawsey of The Wall Street Journal, Tyler Pager of The New York Times, and Isaac Arnsdorf of The Washington Post. It outlines Jill Biden’s significant role in her husband’s administration as his political journey came to an end.
The New York Post reports that the book suggests Jill Biden’s rise in political influence coincided with her husband’s alleged cognitive decline, which was particularly evident after his poor performance in a debate in June 2024. The authors recount an incident where the First Lady addressed donors after the debate, asserting that “He’s the only person for the job.”
Central to her growing influence was Anthony Bernal, her chief of staff and senior advisor. Bernal, who also served as an assistant to the President, reportedly used his position to exercise power within the administration. The book notes that it was often difficult to discern whether Bernal’s views were his own or those of the First Lady, as he sometimes answered questions directed at her by donors or voters.
Bernal’s influence came under congressional scrutiny when he was subpoenaed to testify on July 16 after failing to appear before a House committee investigating claims of a cover-up regarding Biden’s mental decline.
The book details internal tensions, particularly between Bernal and Anita Dunn, a seasoned Democratic strategist. According to the authors, Bernal accused Dunn of disloyalty due to her support for more transparency about the Biden family, highlighting internal disagreements on how to manage sensitive issues.
Jill Biden’s independent decision-making was evident during her frequent attendance at Hunter Biden’s federal trial in June 2024. The book describes how she enforced a near-total ban on discussing Hunter Biden, even as his trial overlapped with her husband’s re-election campaign.
She attended the first three days of the trial, then traveled to France to join the President at the D-Day commemoration, before returning to Wilmington, Delaware, less than a day later for the fifth day of proceedings. Her attendance reportedly surprised West Wing staff, as most senior aides were unaware of her plans, showcasing her autonomous actions separate from the White House staff.
The book’s revelations emerge amid wider scrutiny of the Biden administration’s handling of the President’s age and cognitive abilities. Congressional investigations have been initiated to look into alleged cover-ups concerning Biden’s mental state, with several former senior White House officials anticipated to testify soon.
Additional insights from the book highlight attempts by the administration to manage information flow and shield the President from media scrutiny. One example, documented by co-author Tyler Pager, involved the administration hastily changing the President’s personal phone number after Pager reached him directly for an interview in March. The incident led to Biden aides blocking Pager’s number and disconnecting the President’s phone line within two days.
During that brief conversation, Biden expressed a negative view of his successor’s second term and mentioned seeing no productive outcomes from the new administration’s actions. When asked about any regrets over exiting the 2024 race, Biden replied that he did not dwell on regrets before ending the call to catch a train.
The book is among several recent publications analyzing the 2024 election and Biden presidency. Other works include “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, and “Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House” by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes.
The allegations in “2024” add to ongoing discussions about the Biden administration’s internal workings and raise questions about the influence of unelected officials during the presidency’s final months. The account of Jill Biden’s expanding role sheds light on the power dynamics within the administration as it dealt with growing political challenges.
