After securing the first interview with Joe Biden since his departure from the White House, BBC’s Nick Robinson has disclosed that he was surprised by one aspect. Biden, who became the 46th president of the USA in 2021, saw his tenure cut short after just one term when he was succeeded in the race for re-election by his then vice-president Kamala Harris, a mere four months before the public were set to vote.
However, Harris and the Democrats were defeated by the Republicans after their leader Donald Trump won the hearts of the electorate and triumphed for a second time, being declared the new president. During his stint in power, Biden grappled with several significant issues of the day, dealing with the fallout of the Coronavirus pandemic as well as the shockwaves of conflict felt globally following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
As his presidency concluded earlier this year, many around the world have been eagerly anticipating the former leader’s first interview since vacating the White House.
Reflecting on his encounter with the 82-year-old, Nick expressed his astonishment at how the president has transformed during his tenure: “Today, Biden is still warm and charismatic, with the folksy charm that made him an election winner but he is a much slower, quieter and more hesitant version of the leader he was once.”
Despite showing great reverence for the former president while reminiscing on the BBC website, Nick admitted that he felt it was time for Biden’s time at the White House to come to an end: “Meeting with him in person, I found it hard to imagine he could have served for another four years in the White House, taking him closer to the age of 90.”
During Nick’s recent sit-down with Biden, audiences also saw the former president reflecting on current world dynamics and the evolving role of the US: “Look at the number of European leaders and European countries that are wondering, ‘Well what do I do now? What’s the best route for me to take? Can I rely on the United States? Are they going to be there?'”.
He furthermore stated: “Instead of democracy expanding around the world, [it’s] receding. Democracy – every generation has to fight for it.”
While Biden expressed his worries on behalf of nations worldwide, former President Trump has never hesitated to voice his opinions on Biden’s leadership.
After Biden declared that he would not be seeking re-election, Trump stated: “Joe Biden is the worst president in the history of the United States by far.”
He further added: “There has never been a president who has done such damage to our country. From energy independence to letting in millions and millions of illegal immigrants.”