Republican leaders, conservative commentators, and others are unleashing a torrent of criticism following CNN anchor Jake Tapper’s admission that the White House deceived the public about President Joe Biden’s physical and cognitive deterioration — a deception many say was obvious and intentionally suppressed for political gain.
On Tuesday, CNN host Jake Tapper, citing findings from his forthcoming book, revealed that aides, staff, and even Cabinet members were misled about the extent of President Joe Biden’s decline — a revelation that many say confirms what they’ve warned about for years.
The reaction was swift and scathing.
Lawmakers and commentators accused the Biden administration and its media allies of orchestrating a multi-year deception campaign to protect a failing presidency — at the expense of transparency, accountability, and national trust.
‘You didn’t need a medical degree to know’
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) framed the situation bluntly, calling it a “cover-up for the history books.”
“You didn’t need a medical degree to know Joe Biden’s health was declining,” he stated. “Democrats aimed to bury the truth. The media handed them the shovel.”
The Committee’s official account posted archived video and transcripts of journalists and officials insisting Biden was “sharp,” adding, “Democrats and Legacy Media LIED… Now they act like the COVER-UP never happened.”
“Raise your hand if you knew the Biden admin spent four years lying to our faces,” wrote Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).
‘It was so much worse than everyone thought’
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) captured the mood of betrayal, stating, “It was so much worse than everyone thought. And we thought it was pretty bad.”
Many pointed to the fact that those charged with informing the public either looked the other way or actively participated in misleading the nation.
“Never forget how the media treated anyone who suggested Biden’s physical and mental condition might be declining. Not well,” Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) wrote, pointing to the treatment of skeptics.
“The media ignored it. Dr. Kevin O’Connor covered it up. Biden’s White House staff outright lied about it,” wrote former Trump senior adviser Jason Miller, referencing a report that Biden’s team discussed delaying wheelchair use until after the 2024 election.
‘Time for Congressional oversight?’
Tapper’s reporting claimed even members of Biden’s own Cabinet were kept in the dark about the president’s condition, leading to officials such as Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis to ask if the 25th Amendment should have been invoked, and why unelected staffers were effectively running the Executive Branch while hiding the truth.
“Should Congress hold hearings on Biden’s cognition cover-up?” he asked. “A sitting President who couldn’t function. Unelected staff running the White House and working to hide the truth. A Cabinet derelict in its duty of exercising the 25th Amendment. Time for Congressional oversight?”
Others focused on the consequences abroad, with political analyst Scott Jennings pointing to geopolitical fallout.
“China saw Joe Biden as so weak, they made the decision to simply ignore him on trade… Meanwhile, President Trump just dragged them to the table… All we needed was a new President,” he wrote.
At home, Biden’s cognitive decline reportedly became so pronounced that he failed to recognize Hollywood actor George Clooney during a 2023 fundraiser. As relayed by writer Richard Hanania, one attendee described the scene as “like watching someone who was not alive.”
Former Democratic National Committee (DNC) fundraiser Evan Barker compared the episode to past internal DNC power plays.
“[The] DNC is trying to coup David Hogg and Malcolm Kenyatta the same way they did Bernie, Biden, etc… They just can’t let the will of the people be reflected,” he stated.
“It really is the definition of insanity,” she added.
Author and columnist Batya Ungar-Sargon emphasized the opportunism of Biden’s backers.
“The same people who lied about Biden for as long as it was politically expedient, then knifed him and ritually humiliated him when he could no longer give them the power they crave now want kudos for this fake reckoning so they can start amassing power again,” she wrote. “It’s repulsive.”
‘The Biden era lies and betrayals continue to mount’
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk explained that “for years we were told Biden was on the top of his game, hadn’t lost a step! Now we find out that the White House physician said he would need to literally be put in a wheelchair if he fell one more time.”
“The Biden era lies and betrayals continue to mount,” he added.
Political strategist Chris LaCivita posted sarcastically, “Nothing to see here…” alongside the wheelchair revelations, while Sean Spicer quipped, “If you need to read a book to know Biden was declining then I have a bridge to sell you.”
Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) didn’t mince words. posting, “Wild how the first true statements from the Biden Administration are about how they lied to the American people. Every one of these people still hold power in D.C. and are an enemy of truth.”
Some described the sudden reversal by corporate media outlets as a strategy to preserve credibility now that the truth is undeniable.
According to The Federalist’s Sean Davis, this isn’t about Biden anymore.
“They’re not actually out for Biden. This is a reputation rescue operation for corrupt corporate media… so they can gaslight everyone down the road by claiming they were the ones who exposed Biden’s obvious mental issues,” he noted.
Jesse Kelly, radio host and former Marine, urged Americans not to be fooled.
“Do NOT now accept a plea deal from them that they were ‘fooled’ or ‘lied to.’ Cause that’s exactly what that is. A plea deal,” he wrote.
‘The worst cover-up in American political history’
Long-time conservative commentator Mark Levin echoed the charge.
“Any so-called journalist who authored a book about the decline of Biden, as if they were not part of the worst cover-up in American political history, should be condemned and shamed,” he stated.
The matter comes as House Republicans signal interest in oversight hearings, with scrutiny growing over the roles of Biden’s staff, physician, and the press. Fallout from the revelations remains ongoing.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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