Concerns about former President Joe Biden’s memory and decision-making took center stage Thursday as former White House chief of staff Jeff Zients told Congress that the president’s mental sharpness deteriorated while in office, according to a source familiar with his testimony.
In a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee, Zients reportedly said he urged White House physician Kevin O’Connor to perform “a full medical workup” after Biden’s stumbling June 27, 2024, debate. The president, hoarse and rambling, even claimed at one point that his administration had “finally beat Medicare.”
According to the source, aides noticed “mental freezes” that were unprecedented. Zients also revealed that Biden began forgetting names and dates, and “decisions that once required three meetings eventually began to require a fourth.” Other senior officials, including Anita Dunn and Jake Sullivan, privately pushed for a cognitive exam. Cabinet members such as Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and VA Secretary Denis McDonough reportedly questioned whether Biden was fit for a second term.
Even Jill Biden weighed in, asking staff not to “over-schedule” her husband and to ensure he could “return to the residence” earlier in the day. Donors also raised red flags, with one noting Biden’s reliance on a teleprompter at small fundraisers.
While one source insisted, “Jeff had full confidence in President Biden’s ability to serve as president and is proud of what President Biden accomplished during his four years in office,” the testimony highlights long-running concerns about age and capacity in the West Wing.
As Republicans continue their probe, the revelations add fuel to questions surrounding Biden’s leadership and decision-making at the highest level of government.
