Hunter Biden, son of former President Joe Biden, claimed in a new interview that his father was taking the prescription sleep aid Ambien in the days leading up to his disastrous 2024 debate against Donald Trump — a revelation not previously reported.
“He’s 81 years old. He’s tired as s–t. They give him Ambien to be able to sleep,” Hunter said during a more than three-hour appearance on the Channel 5 YouTube show with host Andrew Callaghan.
Hunter insisted the medication and an exhaustive travel schedule contributed to his father’s faltering performance at the June 27 debate that ultimately led to Biden ending his re-election bid.
Medical records don’t list Ambien
While Hunter claimed his father was on Ambien before the debate, the drug was not mentioned in any of Joe Biden’s public medical records. A note released by Dr. Kevin O’Connor following Biden’s physical exam on February 28, 2024, listed six medications — none of which included Ambien.
Hunter did not specify how long the former president was on Ambien or who prescribed it.
Inside the debate fallout
Hunter provided his version of events leading up to the fateful debate, citing the president’s grueling schedule and age as contributing factors.
“I know exactly what happened in that debate,” Hunter said. “He flew around the world — basically the mileage that he could have flown around the world three times. He gets up on the stage, and he looks like he’s a deer in the headlights, and it feeds into every …. story that anybody wants to tell.”
During the televised showdown, Joe Biden appeared confused, struggled to articulate, and made multiple gaffes — performance issues that set off a wave of Democratic panic and public calls for him to drop out of the race.
Targeting Clooney, Carville, Axelrod
In the same interview, Hunter lashed out at prominent Democrats who urged his father to step aside, including actor George Clooney, strategist James Carville, and former Obama adviser David Axelrod.
He accused them of betrayal and undermining his father at a vulnerable moment.
Campaign collapse and Harris endorsement
Despite initial resistance, Biden ultimately bowed to internal party pressure and exited the race on July 21, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee.