Former ABC News correspondent Terry Moran stated that network executives "shut down very hard" his attempts to report on President Joe Biden's health in late 2023 or early 2024. Moran, who left ABC after a dispute over social media posts, said he had grown concerned about the then-80-year-old president's condition after traveling with him to Japan in the spring of 2023.
"I thought, okay, he’s still functioning, but man, he’s frail," Moran said during an appearance on The Daily Beast Podcast. "He looked like he’d blow away in a stiff wind and his voice was getting lower and lower."
Moran described sending an email to his ABC colleagues and superiors, carefully stating he was not a doctor making a diagnosis but believed Biden's apparent condition was a legitimate concern for voters. "We all know what we know when we see people fading. We all have had grandparents. We’re all getting old ourselves. And so there’s no doubt about it, this is a legitimate concern for the voters of America," he recalled saying.
According to Moran, ABC's response was dismissive. "This is the medical unit’s business. It’s not yours, basically," he said he was told, adding, "And that was that."
His account offers a perspective on the internal discussions at a major news network regarding coverage of Biden's age and health prior to his June 2024 debate performance. This discussion predates reporting by The Wall Street Journal, which detailed how Biden's inner circle managed his schedule and public interactions due to concerns about his age and stamina.
In July 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that senior advisers had spent over a year closely managing Biden's schedule, limiting travel, media appearances, and unscripted moments. Some proposed trips were reportedly rejected due to concerns about his stamina. Earlier investigations by the Journal, including one from December 2023, had also highlighted earlier concerns about Biden's stamina, leading aides to advise keeping meetings brief and, when possible, scheduled later in the day.
The White House has disputed The Wall Street Journal's characterization, maintaining that aides were following the president's directives. Moran emphasized that his intended story was not to diagnose any specific illness but to examine what he believed voters could observe directly.
"We all know what we know when we see people fading," Moran reiterated. He also noted that a record of his internal pitch exists, stating, "I still have it."
ABC News has been contacted for comment regarding Moran's statements.