In his first interview since the 2024 election, Hunter Biden has opened up about what went wrong during his father’s poor performance in the presidential debate against Donald Trump.
“I know exactly what happened in that debate,” Hunter said in a candid conversation with journalist Andrew Callaghan.
According to Hunter, Joe Biden was exhausted from nonstop travel leading up to the event, having racked up enough miles to circle the globe multiple times. He also revealed that Biden, then 81, took Ambien — a sleep aid — to rest before the debate, which may have backfired.
“He’s tired as sh**,” Hunter said bluntly. “They give him Ambien to sleep, and he gets up on the stage and looks like a deer in the headlights.”
Jet Lag and Age Cited as Key Factors
Before the debate, Biden had taken two major international trips and attended a fundraiser on the West Coast. He then prepped at Camp David with his aides for several days. The grueling schedule, Hunter suggested, contributed to Biden’s lackluster showing.
Following the widespread backlash, Biden himself admitted he didn’t perform well and blamed jet lag. In a campaign ad released afterward, he acknowledged, “I’m not a young man,” but added, “I know right from wrong. I know how to tell the truth. And I know, like millions of Americans know, when you get knocked down, you get back up.”
Less than a month after the debate, Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.
Hunter Defends His Father and Criticizes Democrats
Throughout the interview, Hunter criticized how the Democratic Party handled the situation and stood firmly by his father.
“We watched Joe Biden turn 80, then 81, and now 82,” he said. “We watched him get old in front of our eyes. That does not mean that you’re incapacitated.”
Hunter was reportedly one of the strongest voices urging his father to stay in the race amid calls for him to step aside after the debate. His latest comments offer a glimpse into the personal toll the campaign took — and the frustration the Biden family felt behind the scenes.
