In a wide-ranging interview posted July 21, Hunter Biden claimed his father, President Joe Biden, was given Ambien to help him sleep ahead of the June 27, 2024, presidential debate against Donald Trump. Hunter said the 81-year-old’s exhaustion and medication use left him appearing confused and unsteady on stage—a moment he describes as pivotal to his father’s eventual withdrawal from the campaign.
Hunter suggested the combination of intense global travel and the sedative caused his father to look like a “deer in headlights.” He defended President Biden, stressing the debate wasn’t due to a lack of preparation but rather physical and pharmaceutical factors.
This debate is widely seen as the event that triggered internal Democratic efforts for Biden to exit the race. Less than a month later, on July 21, 2024, Biden formally dropped out and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who subsequently lost the general election.
Hunter’s remarks offer new details beyond prior explanations of jet lag and illness, fueling deeper discussion over presidential fitness and transparency.