In his first televised interview since leaving office, former President Joe Biden appeared on ABC’s “The View” on May 8, 2025, to discuss the 2024 presidential election outcome. Biden expressed that he was “disappointed but not surprised” by Vice President Kamala Harris’s loss to Donald Trump, attributing her defeat to a campaign he described as marred by sexist and racially charged attacks.
Biden emphasized Harris’s qualifications, stating she was fully capable of serving as president. He also reflected on his own decision to withdraw from the race in July 2024, following a poor debate performance that raised concerns about his age and fitness for office. Despite stepping aside, Biden maintained that he could have defeated Trump had he remained in the race, noting that Trump received 7 million fewer votes than in 2020 and that the election was decided by narrow margins in key swing states.
The former president acknowledged that his late withdrawal left Harris with limited time to mount an effective campaign, as she had less than four months before the election. He defended the timing of his endorsement, insisting that Harris had sufficient time to introduce herself to voters.
Biden’s appearance on “The View” also included criticism of Trump’s early presidency, which he labeled as historically poor and damaging to liberal democracies globally. He and former First Lady Jill Biden expressed disappointment over the lack of support from some Democratic leaders during the 2024 campaign, noting the personal toll of the election’s outcome.
As Biden continues to reflect on his presidency and the 2024 election, he remains engaged in public discourse, considering ways to contribute to the nation’s future outside of elected office.