Claims of Gaslighting: Former Biden Aide Alleges Administration Misled Public on President’s Health and Age Concerns

Person walking on tarmac wearing a black mask.

A former Biden aide has revealed that the administration engaged in deliberate “gaslighting” of the American public regarding former President Biden’s age and declining health, raising serious questions about transparency as the White House scrambled to maintain political viability.

Quick Takes

Michael LaRosa, former press secretary for Jill Biden, admitted the administration was “gaslighting” Americans about Biden’s age and mental capacity issues
Biden’s team was reportedly “scared to death” of allowing the president to participate in unscripted interviews and appearances
White House staff actively denied polling data showing Biden’s lack of support among Democrats, independents, and Republicans
The administration doubled down when questioned about Biden’s abilities, despite growing concerns from media and fellow Democrats
LaRosa described Biden’s decision to run for reelection as “a misread of our mandate”

Former Aide Admits Administration’s Deception Campaign

Michael LaRosa, who previously served as press secretary for First Lady Jill Biden, has publicly acknowledged that former President Biden’s team deliberately misled the American public regarding concerns about the former president’s age and health. Speaking during a seminar at American University, LaRosa detailed how the administration engaged in what he explicitly termed “gaslighting” to deflect growing questions about Biden’s cognitive abilities and physical stamina. The revelations come in the aftermath of Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race following mounting pressure from within his own party about his fitness to serve another term.

“I will use the term ‘gaslight’ because that’s what they were doing, the campaign, former colleagues. The message to everybody was to make sure that you tell people ‘It’s too early. It’s too early. These polls don’t mean anything,'” LaRosa stated, describing the administration’s strategy to dismiss legitimate concerns about Biden’s abilities.

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Michael LaRosa, once a trusted senior aide to Joe Biden, has admitted that the administration intentionally obscured the truth about…

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Fearful Aides and Controlled Appearances

According to LaRosa’s revelations, Biden’s team went to extraordinary lengths to control the president’s public appearances, fearing unscripted moments might reveal his declining cognitive abilities. “The president’s team was scared to death of impromptu, unscripted, unrehearsed, unpracticed, unchoreographed, anything, they couldn’t compete for the attention economy,” LaRosa explained. This admission confirms what many observed throughout Biden’s presidency: a president who was heavily managed, with limited press conferences, rare interviews, and often early ends to his public days.

“Every time there was a story about his age, or whether he could do another election, or whether he should be the candidate, they just doubled down,” LaRosa said.

The administration’s protective approach became increasingly difficult to maintain following Biden’s disastrous debate performance against President Donald Trump, where the former president appeared hoarse, confused, and struggled to complete coherent answers. While White House officials continued to insist Biden was in good health following the debate, the public display of his limitations accelerated calls for him to step aside.

Denying the Data and Political Reality

Perhaps most revealing was LaRosa’s admission that the administration actively denied polling data showing Biden’s political vulnerability. “There was a lot of denial of the polling. All of the polling in the spring of 2023, and then the fall of 2023, showed that there was no real depth of support from his own party, let alone independents and Republicans,” LaRosa explained. This refusal to acknowledge political reality extended to dismissing concerns raised by veteran Democratic strategists like David Axelrod, who publicly questioned Biden’s ability to serve another term.

“By denying the data that was out there publicly. By denying the really insightful journalism that, they were actually demeaning a lot of the people. It was the data denial that really bothered me,” stated LaRosa.

LaRosa further noted that Biden’s White House Chief of Staff reportedly referred to the former president’s problems as a “second term issue,” suggesting an awareness within the highest levels of the administration that Biden’s condition was problematic but could be managed until after reelection. This startling admission indicates senior White House officials recognized Biden’s limitations but prioritized political considerations over transparency.

A Misread of the Mandate

In his most candid assessment of the administration’s fundamental error, LaRosa stated, “Ultimately, the problem with deciding to run for reelection again was a misread of our mandate.” This frank evaluation suggests Biden’s team misinterpreted voter support in 2020 as an endorsement for Biden personally rather than a rejection of Trump, leading them to believe voters would overlook age concerns in 2024. When Biden finally withdrew from the race after weeks of resistance, the damage to public trust had already severely impacted Democrats’ electoral prospects.

“Biden needed the press. When he needed them the most, they didn’t trust him, they gave him the back foot of the doubt and they put their foot on the gas and never took it off. And he was politically dead,” admitted LaRosa.

While LaRosa suggested “cover-up” might be “a little harsh” to describe the administration’s actions, his detailed account of systematic deception regarding Biden’s condition has raised serious questions about the White House’s honesty with the American public on matters of presidential health and fitness for office. LaRosa’s revelations provide insight into how the administration’s decision to mislead rather than address legitimate concerns contributed to an erosion of voter trust.