On June 4, 2026, President Donald Trump stated that he did not observe any signs of cognitive decline in then-President Joe Biden during their meetings in November 2024. Trump noted, "No, not really. He was the same guy I’ve been watching for a long time," and added that Biden was "fine as far as I was concerned."
The remarks came after former First Lady Jill Biden suggested in recent interviews that she had noticed signs of her husband's health declining, including the possibility of a stroke during a debate with Trump. Reporters inquired about Trump's observations of Biden during their Oval Office meeting, to which Trump responded that Biden spoke "very softly" but that they "got along really well."
Trump also reflected on his own debate performance, suggesting that Biden's perceived poor performance was not solely due to his own abilities. He stated, "I thought I had a very good debate. Nobody ever says that. They say that Biden did badly."
Trump concluded that during their meeting, Biden was engaging with other officials, indicating he was "fine."
