Former US President Joe Biden’s top staff privately discussed the idea of having him take a cognitive test early in 2024, amid growing concerns about his age and mental sharpness, according to a forthcoming book by three political journalists.
The book, 2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America, is co-authored by a New York Times journalist and details behind-the-scenes discussions within the Biden camp.
“Biden’s aides were confident that he would pass a cognitive test,” the book says, according to the New York Times. “But they worried that the mere fact of his taking one would raise new questions about his mental abilities.”
No test taken amid re-election campaign
The debate over the cognitive exam reportedly occurred in February 2024, while Biden was actively campaigning for a second term. Ultimately, the White House opted not to go forward with the test.
The decision would later come under renewed scrutiny after Biden’s disastrous June 2024 debate against Donald Trump, which raised alarms even among loyal Democrats.
Poor debate
Biden’s performance in the first debate stunned the political world, triggering calls from within his party for him to reconsider his campaign.
“I never saw that person — not a single time — that was on that debate stage,” former Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a recent interview, distancing herself from the fallout. Psaki left the White House in 2022.
Biden steps aside, Harris takes over — and loses
Under intense pressure following the debate, Biden ultimately suspended his campaign and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place on the ticket. Harris went on to become the Democratic nominee — but lost to Trump in the general election.
The book suggests that early anxieties about Biden’s age and fitness were known internally long before they exploded into public view.
A legacy undermined
The book adds to the growing number of post-election analyses that argue the Democrats’ failure to confront Biden’s vulnerabilities earlier cost them the White House. Biden’s late-stage decision to run — and his eventual withdrawal — may have reshaped how his presidency will be remembered.