Joe Biden addresses his decision to exit the 2024 presidential race and his strained relationships with party leaders in his new memoir, Promise Me, America.
The book, set for release on Tuesday, offers an inside look at the former president’s assessment of Donald Trump and the internal pressures that led to his withdrawal from the campaign.
According to reporting by the Washington Post, which obtained an advance copy, Biden expresses particular frustration toward former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for their roles in the push for him to step aside.
Biden writes that he felt a duty to run for a second term, viewing Donald Trump as a direct threat to the nation. He maintains that he remained capable of performing the duties of the presidency despite public and political concerns regarding his age and physical fitness.
However, the political landscape shifted following his performance in the June 2024 debate against Trump. Biden writes that he recognizes the move to withdraw was necessary, stating, “I was wrong. This was not just the first debate, it was my last,” according to the Washington Post.
The memoir highlights the personal toll of the 2024 campaign, specifically the breakdown of long-standing alliances within the Democratic Party. Biden describes it as difficult to see old friends and colleagues turn against his candidacy, singling out Pelosi and Schumer for their involvement in the effort to replace him on the ticket.
Beyond domestic politics, the book covers Biden’s handling of the war in Ukraine and the administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump remains a central figure throughout the narrative; while Biden criticizes him for his rhetoric surrounding the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, he also notes the “warm” letter Trump left for him at the White House during the 2021 transition of power.
Joe Biden, now 83, has limited his public engagements surrounding the book launch. In 2025, he was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.
Biden contrasts his criticism of Trump’s actions on January 6, 2021, with the personal courtesy Trump extended by leaving a letter for him at the White House when he left office.
Biden writes that he felt a duty to run to defeat Trump, but ultimately accepted that the pressure from his own party following the June 2024 debate made his continued candidacy untenable.
Following his withdrawal from the race in July 2024, Biden formally endorsed Kamala Harris to lead the Democratic ticket.