Former President Joe Biden’s recent public reemergence has sparked a fierce backlash from within his party. Democrats, still stinging from his low approval ratings, are urging him to step back from the spotlight. The criticism highlights a deep rift as the party grapples with its post-Biden identity.
Fox News reported that Biden’s speech this week at a disability advocacy conference in Chicago marked his first major address since leaving the White House in January 2025. In it, he sharply criticized the Trump administration’s handling of Social Security.
The move drew immediate ire from Democratic figures who see his visibility as a liability. Michael LaRosa, former communications director for Jill Biden, publicly voiced the party’s frustration.
He argued that Biden’s appearance only serves to distract from the Trump administration’s struggles, particularly their mishandled tariff policy. LaRosa’s blunt assessment reflects a broader sentiment among Democrats.
LaRosa, in an interview with The Hill’s senior political correspondent Amie Parnes, emphasized the “intense level of anger” within the Democratic Party toward Biden.
He suggested that Biden’s advisers failed to gauge the party’s lingering resentment. This anger stems from Biden’s perceived mishandling of the Democratic campaign strategy.
Before leaving office, Biden’s approval rating stood at a dismal 36%, according to CNN polling. A staggering 64% of Americans disapproved of his performance. These numbers continue to haunt the Democratic Party, fueling calls for Biden to remain out of the public eye.
The same CNN poll revealed that 61% of respondents viewed Biden’s presidency as a failure. This harsh judgment has left Democrats wary of any move that might remind voters of his tenure. Biden’s recent speech, critics argue, does exactly that.
LaRosa described Biden’s Chicago appearance as a “lovely gift” to the Trump administration and conservative media. He noted that it shifted attention from Trump’s tariff policy blunders, which had drawn heavy scrutiny. The timing, LaRosa argued, could not have been worse for Democrats.
The Hill’s report suggests that even those close to Biden, including former aides, are urging him to avoid political involvement.
They believe his presence risks further damaging the party’s image. This sentiment underscores the delicate balance Democrats face in moving forward.
Amie Parnes, co-author of “Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House,” provided additional context. Her book details how Biden’s influence over Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign may have undermined her chances. It claims Biden restricted Harris’s ability to carve out her policy positions.
Parnes’s book, co-written with Jonathan Allen, suggests Biden deliberately limited Harris’s independence. The authors argue that he believed Harris' distancing herself would harm his legacy. This decision, they claim, contributed to her campaign’s struggles.
“Whether she won or lost,” Parnes and Allen wrote, “Biden had no interest” in allowing Harris to forge her path. This revelation has fueled speculation that Harris’s loyalty to Biden’s policies weakened her candidacy. Democrats now see Biden’s influence as a lingering problem.
LaRosa, despite his affection for the Bidens, stressed the need for honest counsel. He urged Biden’s team to provide “situational awareness” about his damaged public image. Loyalty, he said, demands truth, even when it’s painful to hear.
“It’s a heartbreaking and tragic ending to their time in public life,” LaRosa said of the Bidens. He insisted they must acknowledge the political realities facing them. This includes recognizing the party’s desire to move beyond their era.
Biden’s Chicago speech included strong words for the Trump administration. “Fewer than 100 days,” he said, “this new administration has done so much damage.” Yet, Democrats worry such remarks only reignite debates about his own presidency’s shortcomings.