In rare on-air appearance, former president reflects on 2024 loss, defends his legacy, and blasts sexism in Harris’s defeat
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In his first live television interview since leaving office, former President Joe Biden acknowledged personal responsibility for Donald Trump’s return to the White House following the 2024 election while fiercely defending his own presidential record and sharply criticising his successor’s early performance in office.
Speaking alongside former First Lady Jill Biden on ABC’s “The View”, Biden, 82, offered a candid and occasionally emotional account of the political fallout from last year’s election. The appearance marked the couple’s first joint interview since departing the White House.
“I do, because, look, I was in charge and he won. So, you know, I take responsibility,” Biden said when asked whether he felt accountable for Trump’s comeback victory.
A break from tradition, a return to the arena
Unapologetically engaging in the current political discourse, Biden, like his predecessor Trump, broke with long-standing norms for ex-presidents by offering pointed critiques of the administration that succeeded him. He dismissed Trump’s early days back in office as chaotic and ineffective.
“He’s had the worst 100 days any president’s ever had,” Biden declared, offering one of his strongest public rebukes yet of the man who defeated him.
Despite stepping away from elected office following a turbulent final year that included a widely criticized debate performance, Biden signaled that he still considers himself an active voice in America’s political future. He used the platform to defend his legacy, reject doubts about his cognitive health, and weigh in on broader global political trends.
Addressing personal and party setbacks
The former president also responded to revelations from an upcoming book that questioned his mental acuity during his time in office. While acknowledging that the path to his departure was rocky, Biden stood firm in his belief that he had made sound, principled decisions as president.
“I didn’t leave the way I wanted to. But that doesn’t change what we accomplished,” he said, adding that the pandemic’s long shadow distorted political outcomes both at home and abroad.
“Liberal democracies all across America, all across the world, lost last time out,” Biden said. “I think we underestimate the phenomenal negative impact that Covid had… on people, on attitudes, on optimism.”
When asked about Vice President Kamala Harris’s loss in the 2024 election, Biden didn’t mince words. “I was disappointed but not surprised,” he said, blaming her defeat in part on systemic bias.
“They went the sexist route,” Biden continued. “I’ve never seen quite as successful and consistent a campaign undercutting the notion that a woman couldn’t lead the country—and a woman of mixed race.”
A legacy under scrutiny, a voice undeterred
As speculation continues about Biden’s future role in Democratic politics, his interview offered a rare glimpse into how he views the end of his presidency—and how he hopes history will view it. Unafraid to challenge his successor or defend his record, Biden made clear that his time in the spotlight may be over, but his presence in the national conversation is not.
“I take responsibility,” he reiterated. “But I won’t let that take away from what we did for this country.”
