Former First Lady Jill Biden revealed in a new CBS News interview that she was terrified during President Joe Biden’s June 27, 2024, debate against Donald Trump, saying she initially believed he was suffering a stroke.

“I was frightened, because I had never ever seen Joe like that before or since. Never,” she said. “As I watched it, I thought, ‘Oh, my God, he’s having a stroke.’ And it scared me to death.”

The interview, set to air in full this weekend, comes nearly two years after the CNN-hosted debate in Atlanta, which proved to be a pivotal and damaging moment for Biden’s re-election bid.

The then-81-year-old president appeared raspy-voiced, struggled with coherence, lost his train of thought multiple times, and made several odd statements, including claiming his administration had “beat Medicare.”

The widely criticized performance shattered months of efforts by Biden allies and mainstream media to downplay concerns about his cognitive fitness.

In the debate’s aftermath, polling shifted dramatically, and intense pressure built within the Democratic Party for him to step aside.

Biden initially defended his showing the next day at a North Carolina rally but ultimately bowed to mounting pressure from party leaders, donors, and family.

On July 21, 2024, he withdrew from the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who became the nominee but lost the general election to Trump.

Jill Biden, who has long defended her husband’s capabilities, made the candid remarks as part of a media tour promoting her upcoming memoir.