Former first lady Jill Biden tells CBS News that she was “frightened” by her husband Joe Biden’s performance in the June 2024 presidential debate against Donald Trump, saying she thought he was “having a stroke” while watching him. In an interview connected to CBS News “Sunday Morning,” she says, “As I watched it, I thought, ‘Oh, my God, he’s having a stroke.’ And it scared me to death.”

Multiple outlets report that Jill Biden previously praised Joe Biden’s debate performance publicly and that her new comments reflect a different view from her remarks immediately after the debate, when she joined him on stage to praise his answers. Reporting also centers on her new memoir, “View from the East Wing,” which outlets say the publisher is releasing soon, including references in advance excerpts to her concern during the televised face-off.

Other coverage describes widespread criticism of Joe Biden’s delivery during the debate, including episodes of freezing and confusion, and notes that his later decision to withdraw from the race in 2024 followed the fallout. Some reports also cite details that Jill Biden considered other possibilities such as whether something had affected him, though she addresses her concern as primarily medical in the CBS comments.