White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sharply criticized former First Lady Jill Biden on Thursday, suggesting she played a role in concealing former President Joe Biden’s health challenges during his time in office.
The remarks came as Senate Republicans intensified their inquiry into what they describe as a coordinated effort to obscure the extent of Biden’s cognitive and physical decline. Lawmakers have requested testimony from over two dozen former top officials in the Biden administration — and potentially, Jill Biden herself.
Speaking during a White House press briefing, Leavitt pointed to recent video footage and public appearances, accusing the former First Lady of misleading the American people.
“She’s still lying to the American people,” Leavitt said. “Frankly, it’s insulting, and she needs to answer for it.”
The controversy escalated after a new book by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’s Alex Thompson revealed private concerns among senior Biden aides about his ability to serve a second term — including fears that he might require a wheelchair. Biden was recently diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer, which has reportedly spread to his bones.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who chairs the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, has sent letters requesting testimony from former Vice President Kamala Harris, ex-Cabinet members like Pete Buttigieg, and others close to the former president. Johnson has stated he may issue subpoenas if those requests are ignored.
With questions mounting, calls for transparency are growing louder — and the former First Lady may now find herself at the center of the storm.
