Jill Biden: ‘Let’s Set the Record Straight’
Former first lady will speak out about Joe Biden’s decision to exit the 2024 presidential election in forthcoming memoir.
For the first time, former First Lady Dr. Jill Biden says she will “set the record straight” about what it meant for her when her husband, pressured by Democrats, decided to step out of the 2024 presidential election in a forthcoming memoir due out on June 2.
The exit by President Joe Biden in July 2024 abruptly ended his re-election bid after members of his own party raised concerns about his age and fitness for office, setting the stage for President Biden to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the candidate and who was ultimately named the Democratic nominee late in the campaign against Republican nominee Donald Trump. Dr. Biden never publicly commented on that decision and left critics scrutinizing her role and influence over the former president.
The announcement was made by Dr. Biden on Wednesday. Her book, View From the East Wing: A Memoir, will be published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
In a video promoting the book, Dr. Biden teased what readers will come to learn about her time serving as first lady.
“I entered the role of first lady in a unique time in our nation’s history in the midst of a pandemic and the shadow of an insurrection,” she says. “Those days tested all of us.”
Dr. Biden goes on to say that serving in the “historic East Wing” was the honor of her life and that the book serves as an account of her time in the White House, a period of time where only parts of the story have been told, she says.
“In View From the East Wing, I share the good moments that lifted me and the difficult ones that challenged me. I also reflect on how this chapter in our lives came to a close when Joe made the unprecedented decision not to seek re-election and pass the torch; what that moment meant for our family and for me personally after years of public service together.”
The former first lady told The Associated Press that writing the memoir was somewhat healing.
“It was kind of cathartic for me to write it, and I wrote about all the, you know, sometimes painful—but other times, most of it really beautiful moments that Joe and I shared during his presidency,” she said.
This latest memoir by a former first lady comes after a string of recently released memoirs from U.S. first ladies including Hillary Clinton’s Something Lost and Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love, and Liberty in September 2024; Melania Trump’s Melania released in October 2024; and Michelle Obama’s The Look released in November 2025.
Throughout her husband’s presidency, Dr. Biden traveled the country spotlighting her husband’s agenda and her own. As first lady she advocated for her causes, including women’s health, military families, vaccine awareness, cancer initiatives and education. Before leaving the White House, she facilitated millions of dollars in grants that would jumpstart Women’s Health Research, an area in her post-White House years for which she still advocates. She made history as the first-ever first lady to hold an outside job while her husband was in office, continuing to work as an English professor at a nearby community college.
Dr. Biden authored her first memoir in 2019, Where the Light Enters, that tells the story of the Bidens’ courtship, their blended family, her early experiences serving as second lady in the Obama administration and the dark days after their son Beau’s death to cancer. She has also written children’s books: Willow the White House Cat in 2024, Joey: The Story of Joe Biden in 2020, and Don’t Forget: God Bless Our Troops in 2012.
Melania Trump: ‘Be Courageous and Take Risks’
In recognition of Women’s History Month, First Lady Melania Trump spoke about the role women play in shaping their children’s character, education and morals.
The event held in the East Room of the White House on Thursday welcomed working mothers and women leaders in business, athletics, law enforcement, government and civil society from across the country.
Mrs. Trump called on women to pursue their ambitions with confidence, saying, “make time for yourself, educate yourself daily, and spread your passion. Be courageous and take risks.”
She also spoke about her own endeavors and how “attention to detail, demanding schedules and multi-tasking are everyday realities when building towards success.” Mrs. Trump went on to say how this principle resonates across all her roles as a mother, humanitarian, philanthropist and entrepreneur before sharing how it applied to her film Melania, “where I shaped its creative direction, served as producer, managed post-production and activated the marketing campaign.”
Reflecting on her own experiences, Mrs. Trump emphasized the benefits of being a curious-minded individual, “curiosity begets knowledge, opening doors to ideas and industries that I may have otherwise overlooked.” She continued, “markets evolve, technologies change, but the fundamentals of thoughtful leadership and continuous learning are everlasting.”
The first lady concluded her remarks by introducing her husband, President Trump, whom she praised for his commitment to promoting women in leadership roles throughout his career and signed a Women’s History Month proclamation.
The Weekly Wrap
The Weekly Wrap is a collection of headlines from the past week. Some publications have paywalls.
Newsweek
Hillary Clinton Epstein Deposition Inspires New Merch Campaign
March 13, 2026 – Hillary Clinton has launched a new merchandise campaign referencing language from her recent congressional deposition related to the investigation into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with proceeds directed toward a progressive political organization.
Clinton announced the new merchandise drop on her social-media channels, writing, “You asked and we listened.” Read more
East Wing Magazine
Call For First Ladies Conference Presentation Proposals
March 13, 2026 – The First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE) in partnership with the First Ladies Initiative at American University’s School of Public Affairs seeks presentation proposals for the upcoming conference “250 Years of First Ladies Making History.”
Organizers are particularly interested in proposals exploring the ways American presidential spouses or a group of first ladies made history for the conference slated for May 15. Read more
Theater Mania
Barack and Michelle Obama’s Media Company Higher Ground to Co-Produce Proof
March 12, 2026 – Higher Ground, the media company founded by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, will serve as a co-producer of the Broadway revival of Proof, the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning play by David Auburn, joining Tony Award-nominated producer Mike Bosner and Tony Award-winning director and producer Thomas Kail. Read more
In Pursuit
Dolley Madison by Catherine Allgor
March 12, 2026 – During her tenure as First Lady (1809-1817), Dolley Payne Todd Madison was one of the most well-known people in the new United States and certainly the most well-known woman. Her fame persisted through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and continues into the present day. When we think of Dolley, the word “hostess” crops up repeatedly to explain her achievements, most notably her large, weekly receptions. Read more
American FLOTUS
Barbara Bush, Presidential Matriarch Featuring Myra Gutin
March 12, 2026 – On this episode of American FLOTUS, author Myra Gutin joins host Alan Lowe to discuss the life and legacy of Barbara Bush. With her book Barbara Bush: Presidential Matriarch as a guide, Gutin recounts Bush’s remarkable story, from the fateful dance where she first met a young George Bush, to her years as second lady, first lady, and mother of a president. Listen here
East Wing Magazine
Dolley Madison’s Mingling Forged Connections Among Political Rivals
March 12, 2026 – Historian Catherine Allgor has written extensively on First Lady Dolley Madison (1809-1817). Her research shows the American founding-era, female figure achieved a level of fame that persists even to this day. That notoriety, stemming back to her carefully orchestrated, standing social gatherings, unfolded—not by accident—inside the executive mansion where she and her husband James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, resided. Read more
IMO With Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson
Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe on Building Love that Lasts
March 11, 2026 – Black power couple, star actors, and college sweethearts Ryan Michelle Bathe and Sterling K. Brown join IMO With Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson. The two share how they’ve built a 30+ year relationship—through tough times and the highs and lows of the entertainment industry. Plus, Ryan and Michelle talk about the reality of being working mothers and how they’ve learned to navigate the unique challenges of balancing family and work. View here
WLBT3
Mississippi to Participate in Trump Push to Ensure Foster Children Have ‘Safe and Stable Home’
March 10, 2026 – Gov. Tate Reeves announced on Tuesday that Mississippi will participate in the Trump administration’s pilot initiative to ensure that “every child in foster care has access to a safe and stable home.” Read more
East Wing Magazine
Obama Presidential Center Seeks Volunteers Ahead of June Opening
March 10, 2026 – With the countdown to the opening of the Obama Presidential Center currently underway, the Obama Foundation Tuesday announced the launch of its new volunteer program dubbed “Ambassadors.” Read more
Tri Delta
Penny Martin Adams, Maryland—A Living Piece of Tri Delta’s History
Feb. 3, 2026 – From Washington, D.C., to Hollywood and back again, Penny has lived a life filled with curiosity, courage and a deep love for storytelling. Raised in a family that valued education and leadership, Penny always knew she wanted to aim high. When it came time to choose a sorority, her mind was already made up. Tri Delta’s reputation for excellence and strong women sealed the deal. Read more