Memoir Excerpt: Biden calls Trump's Jan. 6 handling a defining flaw

Former President Joe Biden has offered some of his starkest criticism of his successor, writing in a new memoir that Donald Trump's conduct regarding the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol should remain with him until he dies. The comments appear in a book excerpt published by The Atlantic on Monday, offering a sharp look at the former president's view of his own tenure and the transition of power.

Biden describes Trump as leading an insurrection and questions the wisdom of the sweeping pardons the current president granted to individuals involved in that day's events. In the text, Biden asserts that the individuals who attacked law enforcement officers did not deserve such clemency. He states plainly that they deserved prison terms instead.

The former president challenges the image Trump and his supporters have cultivated since leaving office. Biden writes that these figures continue to act as if they are strong allies of law enforcement. He argues that one cannot ignore officers being punched, speared, and sprayed while still claiming to be a friend to the badge. His central argument is that the events of January 6, 2021, should never be forgotten and should serve as a permanent part of Trump's historical record.

The excerpt also details a private meeting held in 2024, following Biden's election loss, where he briefed Trump on global issues. Biden characterizes the tone of that interaction as bordering on fawning. He recalls Trump telling him that without politics, the two might have been good friends. Biden notes that he was so stunned by the comment that he could not respond immediately.

During the roughly two hour conversation, Biden attempted to outline key international concerns. He observed that Trump focused on the personalities of foreign leaders rather than the substantive issues. Biden compares this dynamic to sharing gossip at a dinner party rather than discussing matters of global significance. The former president says he cut off Trump's compliments to move the meeting forward.

The White House has not yet commented on the published excerpt. The memoir, titled "Promise Me, America," is scheduled for release on Nov. 17. In a post on X on Sunday, Biden announced that his ongoing fight against cancer would limit his availability for book-related conversations. He wrote that while the illness has not stopped him, it occasionally slows his pace.