Ambien left the then-US president looking “like a deer in the headlights” during the key showdown with Donald Trump, his son has said
Former US President Joe Biden’s faltering performance during the debate that resulted in him dropping out of the 2024 White House race was due to travel fatigue and the use of prescription sleeping pills, his son Hunter Biden has claimed.
In an interview with journalist Andrew Callaghan released on Monday, Biden said his father was not in top shape ahead of the June 27, 2024 debate with then-Republican nominee Donald Trump. “He flew around the world basically,” Hunter said, claiming the then-president “was tired as s**t” and took Ambien pills to sleep.
“He gets up on the stage and he looks like he’s a deer in the headlights,” he said, adding that it fueled the narrative of his rivals, who focused on Biden’s age – at 81, he was the oldest sitting president in US history.
Biden’s halting delivery, quiet and raspy voice, and moments of apparent confusion during the CNN-hosted debate with Trump sparked widespread concern within the Democratic Party about his age and ability to serve another term. The performance also appeared to confirm long-standing criticism from Trump, who had frequently referred to Biden as ‘Sleepy Joe’ throughout the campaign.
Biden later admitted he had “a bad night” and was recovering from a “really bad cold” before the debate, but maintained, “I know how to tell the truth… and I know how to do this job.” He also pointed to his busy travel schedule before the debate.
Following mounting pressure from party officials and donors, Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race on July 21, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement. Harris went on to lose the November election to Trump.
In mid-May, Biden disclosed he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, although his office said the disease “appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management.” Biden later described the prognosis as encouraging and said he felt optimistic.
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