Politics
Former Rep. Dean Phillips Critiques Biden’s Mental Health, Calls for Transparency

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former U.S. Representative Dean Phillips has publicly criticized the Democratic Party for allegedly covering up President Joe Biden‘s declining mental health. In an op-ed for The Free Press published on Thursday, Phillips expressed concerns that the party’s lack of transparency has eroded public trust.
Phillips recounted his observations during two addresses to the House Democratic Caucus in 2021 and two flights on Air Force One. He described witnessing a notable deterioration in Biden’s communication skills and leadership capabilities. “I was alarmed to see the president’s obvious decline,” Phillips stated.
Further claims were made regarding a holiday party in December 2022 where Phillips believed Biden’s decline was “too graphic to ignore.” He expressed doubts about Biden’s fitness for a second term in office.
My colleagues, like me, had eyes; behind closed doors we acknowledged the reality,” Phillips said. He indicated he reached out to other prominent Democrats, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, to encourage them to enter the presidential race, but he said no one responded.
Frustrated by party leadership, Phillips announced his candidacy for the 2024 Democratic primary. “I was trying to spark a competitive primary,” he explained. “I simply wanted Americans to see up close what I had seen and what the White House was trying to hide from them.”
Despite his efforts, Phillips claimed to have faced significant resistance from Democratic leadership, including being told by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries‘ chief of staff that he “would not be speaking to Biden or anyone else in the White House.”
Phillips alleged that the media worked against him, claiming that former Biden staffers at networks like MSNBC “essentially deplatformed” him. He accused the Democratic National Committee (DNC) of taking steps to suppress any challengers to Biden.
“This wasn’t a fight for democracy, but a coordinated fight against it,” he stated, emphasizing his belief that transparency is essential for regaining public confidence in the party.
Reflecting on party dynamics, Phillips urged Democratic leaders to acknowledge Biden’s condition openly. “The first step is for everyone that was aware of Biden’s condition to come clean,” he advised.
In closing, Phillips cautioned, “Protecting a president at the cost of its credibility is a shortsighted and losing proposition.”