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Inside Jill Biden’s fiercely guarded East Wing: Ugly blame game over ‘catatonic’ Joe… how the first lady would do anything to make the president ‘look good’… and the ‘work husband’ who would ‘crawl into a coffin with her’
The article recounts claims in Azadeh Moaveni’s new book about Jill Biden’s time as first lady, portraying her as closely focused on protecting Joe Biden and his presidency. It says that during the 2021 fall of Kabul, while other former first ladies helped organise evacuations for Afghan women, Jill Biden’s team allegedly prioritised shielding her from public anger and political fallout.
The book also argues that Biden stepped back from initiatives when they became awkward for the administration, including work on migrant family reunification and support for military families. It describes her early appeal to teachers and mothers, her role in the Joining Forces initiative, and her close relationship with longtime aide Anthony Bernal, whom staff reportedly called her “work husband”. These are the author’s accounts and allegations, presented in the article as claims from the book and former staff.
In short
- A new book makes critical claims about Jill Biden’s time as first lady.
- Her team allegedly focused on limiting political exposure during Kabul’s fall.
- The account also examines her causes and close aide Anthony Bernal.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A first lady has limited formal power and may reasonably prioritise supporting the president and protecting the administration’s ability to govern, especially during a crisis. From this perspective, stepping back from initiatives that could complicate policy or draw attention away from urgent work may reflect institutional caution, while close reliance on a trusted aide can help her work effectively.
The case against
A first lady’s public role also gives her influence and a platform to draw attention to people in need, including Afghan women and migrant families. If the book’s accounts are accurate, putting protection from political fallout ahead of those responsibilities could represent a failure to use that influence, and could undermine trust in initiatives presented as serving military families or other vulnerable groups.
Explained simply
Jill Biden was first lady of the United States from 2021 to 2025, while her husband, Joe Biden, was president. The role has no formal job description, but first ladies often support causes, represent the White House at events and help shape how the administration is seen.
Azadeh Moaveni’s book draws on accounts from people who worked with Jill Biden to describe her priorities and relationships in the White House. The article says those accounts include claims about how her team handled public criticism and initiatives linked to Afghan evacuations, migrant families and military families.
Anthony Bernal was a longtime aide to Jill Biden and a close adviser. The claims matter because the first lady’s office can influence public-facing projects and the president’s image, even though it is separate from the elected government; the book’s portrayals are attributed accounts, rather than established findings.
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