President Joe Biden asserts that former President Donald Trump's actions on January 6, 2021, should not be forgotten and should remain a lasting indictment of his successor. Biden made these remarks in his new memoir, "Promise Me, America," which is slated for release on November 17. The President sharply criticized Trump's decision to grant pardons and clemency to Jan. 6 defendants on his first day back in office, and his failure to hold a formal ceremony honoring the officers who defended the Capitol.
Excerpts of the memoir were published by The Atlantic. Biden also recounts a meeting with then-President-elect Trump in November 2024, describing Trump's tone as friendly and almost fawning. "You know, Joe, if it weren’t for politics, I believe we’d be good friends," Trump reportedly told Biden during their nearly two-hour discussion in the Oval Office. Biden noted that Trump praised his job creation record and expressed relief at not having to run against him.
During the meeting, Biden said he attempted to discuss significant global issues, but Trump appeared more interested in the personal details of world leaders, leading Biden to observe that their conversation felt like sharing gossip rather than addressing matters of global importance.
Biden further detailed his critique of Trump's second term, stating that Trump's “lies” began with his “utterly discredited claim that he had defeated me in 2020.” He contended that Trump systematically dismantled traditions and institutions, citing as an example the demolition of the White House East Wing.
Biden took issue with several policy decisions made by Trump, including withdrawing from the Paris climate accords, opening public lands to drilling, ending support for electric vehicles, and canceling solar projects. Biden criticized these actions as detrimental to U.S. competitiveness with China and described Trump's announcement of these policies at a rally attended by oil and gas executives.
The memoir also touches upon the Supreme Court's 2024 decision granting presidents some immunity from prosecution for acts within their official duties. Biden called the ruling inexplicable, indefensible, and a "death knell for accountability," arguing it lacked precedent, common sense, and a constitutional basis. He concluded that a nation cannot long survive "character-free leadership."