WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� is breaking her silence about decision to under pressure from Democrats concerned about his age, health and viability against Republican Donald Trump in a rematch of their 2020 campaign.
A political spouse for nearly 50 years, Jill Biden said she has never publicly discussed her feelings about the three-week stretch when her husband ended his political career, instead saving her thoughts for the pages of her soon-to-be-released memoir.
Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, on Wednesday announced that her book, 鈥淰iew from the East Wing: A Memoir,鈥� is scheduled to be published June 2.
Jill Biden told The Associated Press in a brief telephone interview that the book is a 鈥渞eflection of my four years as first lady鈥� and that writing it was somewhat healing.
鈥淚t was kind of cathartic for me to write it, and I wrote about all the, you know, sometimes painful 鈥� but other times, most of it really beautiful moments that Joe and I shared during his presidency,鈥� she said.
Jill Biden declined on Tuesday to discuss any of those moments, good or bad 鈥� including watching her husband work his way to the decision to end his five-decade-long political career by dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.
In an announcement video shared on Instagram, she said she wants to 鈥渟et the record straight.鈥�
The last chapter of her husband’s political career
In April 2023, then-President Joe Biden was 80 and the oldest president in U.S. history when . His age and fitness to serve another four years 鈥� which would take him to age 86 鈥� became a source of concern for the public. Some fellow Democrats began to pressure him to step aside after he turned in in June 2024 in which he struggled, in a raspy voice, to land his debating points and often appeared to lose his train of thought. Aides blamed the poor performance on a cold.
Joe Biden at first insisted that he would stay in the race, but after a few weeks he withdrew from the campaign and endorsed Democrat , his vice president. Harris became the party鈥檚 presidential nominee but in the November 2024 election.
Jill Biden said that, with the book, 鈥淚 have put things in perspective,鈥� presenting what she describes as a 鈥渕ore balanced view鈥� of her husband’s time as president.
The memoir is also a tribute of the sorts to women who, like herself, juggle multiple roles.
鈥淚t’s also a story about my being able to balance life, you know, as a working woman and as a mother, a grandmother, a first lady,鈥� she said.
During her four years in the role, Jill Biden, 74, made history as the first first lady to she had before entering the White House. She had taught English and writing for decades at the community college level, and she continued teaching twice a week at a Northern Virginia school while serving as first lady.
Joe Biden 鈥榙oing well鈥� after his cancer diagnosis
The former president’s office announced in May 2025 that he was and that it had spread to his bones. He’s receiving treatment.
Jill Biden said it was 鈥渜uite a shock getting the diagnosis鈥� for her husband, who’s now 83.
鈥淭he fact that it is in his bones means that he will have cancer, you know, all his lifetime,鈥� Jill Biden said. She said the doctors say he will 鈥渓ive out his natural life.鈥�
鈥淟ike most retired couples, he’ll probably drive me crazy till the end of it,鈥� she joked.
She said for meetings or to give speeches.
A unique period in American history
The former first lady also writes in the book about serving during a unique period in U.S. history, including and the aftermath of on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the publisher.
Her husband was on the steps of the Capitol on Jan. 20, 2021, just two weeks after , spurred by his false claims that the Republican lost because of election fraud, stormed the building in a violent attempt to keep lawmakers from certifying Joe Biden’s victory.
Joe Biden’s first year in office was dominated by the federal response to the pandemic and, while he mostly stayed at the White House, Jill Biden wore face mask and to encourage people to get their vaccinations. She also continued her advocacy on behalf of , education and community colleges, cancer prevention and initiatives.
Before she became first lady, Jill Biden was second lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017, when her husband was Barack Obama’s vice president. She currently chairs the Milken Institute’s Women’s Health Network.
Jill Biden is also the author of 鈥淲here the Light Enters,鈥� published in 2019, in which she writes about meeting Joe Biden, then a U.S. senator from Delaware, and marrying and building a life with him. She also has written three .
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