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A new book released Tuesday reveals that President Donald Trump, known for his brash and confrontational style, found himself wrestling with a moment of self-awareness during his highly consequential debate with then-President Joe Biden last year.
The debate was one of the most anticipated moments of the 2024 campaign, and for Trump, it represented a significant opportunity to press Biden on his record and on his declining abilities. However, the outcome of the debate left Trump grappling with his own approach, with a degree of uncertainty that was unexpected for a candidate so often confident in his combative nature.
The excerpt from “Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House” by The Hill’s senior political correspondent Amie Parnes and NBC News senior national politics reporter Jonathan Allen highlights the internal struggle Trump faced as he adjusted to Biden’s surprisingly strong performance on stage.
It was a moment that would prove to be pivotal, as Trump began to question how he could continue pressing Biden without appearing overly aggressive, all while wondering if it would even matter to the audience if he stopped. His performance on that stage had a critical impact not only on the media narrative but on the way he would approach the final months of the campaign.
The debate, which was widely seen as a chance for Trump to make a definitive statement against a sitting president struggling with his own political vulnerabilities, began with high stakes. Trump’s advisers had been preparing him for the possibility that Biden’s cognitive decline could become an issue in the race, and they anticipated that Trump would have the upper hand in pushing Biden to his limits.
However, Trump himself found the reality to be more complicated. According to Parnes and Allen’s report, Trump was caught off guard by Biden’s ability to hold his own on stage. “Trump couldn’t believe it,” they reported, capturing the surprise that Trump felt in real-time as he watched his opponent navigate the debate.
At the heart of his surprise was the fact that Biden seemed more capable than expected, which led to a crucial shift in Trump’s approach.
The book reveals that, as Trump watched Biden respond to his questions, he found himself wondering how to press his advantage without coming off as a bully. “How do I keep hitting him without coming off as an a—hole?” Trump reportedly thought to himself.
The reality that Trump faced was that, while he had long been accustomed to aggressive debate tactics, he was suddenly aware that he could not afford to go too far.
This internal struggle was fueled by Trump’s need to maintain control over the narrative of the debate. If he went too hard on Biden, he risked alienating viewers, but if he eased up, he feared that the momentum would shift to his opponent.
The dilemma of how to approach Biden without “coming off as a bully” was a delicate balancing act for Trump, who had always prided himself on his ability to dominate in debates. Yet, in this instance, he found himself reassessing the way he interacted with his opponent.
Trump’s strategic adjustment during the debate was significant. Rather than overwhelming Biden with a barrage of attacks, Trump opted to back off slightly, acknowledging that Biden’s mental faculties were weaker than they had been in the past but not pushing him too hard.
At one point, after Biden delivered a confusing and jumbled response to a question about border security, Trump commented, “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence.” In a rare moment of empathy, he added, “I don’t think he knows what he said either.”
This moment of lighthearted commentary provided a glimpse into the internal struggle Trump faced. While he was still attacking Biden, he chose to do so in a way that felt more restrained, at least in comparison to his usual tactics.
This moment of reflection was not lost on Trump’s advisers, who had been watching from a nearby room. Susie Wiles, one of Trump’s top political advisers, was reportedly “stunned” by Biden’s performance, and worried that Trump had not taken his preparations seriously enough.
The fear was that Biden might exceed expectations, which could have complicated Trump’s plans for the debate. Wiles was concerned that if Biden was able to rise to the occasion, it would hurt Trump’s standing in the race.
But as the debate continued, Trump began to feel that Biden’s performance was, in fact, lackluster. As Trump left the stage, he passed along a message to Wiles, signaling that he believed the debate had gone in his favor.
Their shared look of “We got this” symbolized the mutual belief that Biden had faltered on the stage, and that Trump had, in fact, held the upper hand.
After the debate, Trump’s reaction was one of frustration—not because of his own performance, but because of the media’s focus on Biden. According to the book, Trump was “mad as hell” after the event because Biden was receiving all of the media attention, despite what Trump perceived as a strong performance on his part.
The fact that the media was so focused on Biden’s perceived weaknesses was, in Trump’s mind, an “ultimate insult.”
In the days following the debate, Trump worked to shift the narrative in his favor. He pressed his aides, including Steven Cheung, to focus on framing the debate as a victory for Trump. The idea was to spin the narrative in a way that would make Trump’s performance appear dominant, even as Biden’s weaknesses were highlighted in the aftermath.
Trump’s team pitched the idea to friendly outlets, such as Breitbart, which reported on Trump’s “master class” performance, even though it acknowledged Biden’s frailty.
The frustration Trump felt over the media’s attention on Biden led to another critical moment in his campaign. Trump’s desire for control over the media narrative was not only about his own ego—it was about keeping the focus on him and his strength, rather than on Biden’s vulnerabilities.
It was a strategy that would guide him for the rest of the election cycle.
While Trump was adjusting his strategy on the fly, Biden’s inner circle was grappling with their own fears and doubts about the debate. In the weeks leading up to the event, Biden’s advisers had expressed concern about whether the candidate should even face off against Trump.
Some, like White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, argued that Biden should not participate in the debate, feeling that it would only add to the narrative that Biden was not capable of handling the pressures of the presidency.
Pelosi, who had expressed confidence in Biden’s ability to beat Trump, still believed that he should avoid the debate to protect his image. She was worried that appearing on stage with Trump would be too much of a risk for Biden’s campaign.
However, Biden felt strongly that he should participate, and after delivering a strong State of the Union address, he confirmed to Pelosi that he would go ahead with the debate.
Biden’s decision to debate Trump, despite concerns from his advisers, reflected his belief that he needed to face his challenger head-on, especially after Trump had spent months attacking his ability to serve as president. Biden’s campaign had been in a tenuous position, with Trump leading in the polls, and the debate offered Biden an opportunity to take control of the race—if he performed well.
However, Biden’s performance on stage did not go as planned. The Democratic “freak-out” began almost immediately after the debate ended. A watch party in downtown Atlanta, featuring Democratic insiders, saw faces of disbelief and disappointment. Slumped shoulders, folded arms, and audible gasps reflected the anxiety in Biden’s camp.
One Democratic megadonor, John Morgan, even texted Pelosi to express his dismay, describing the debate as a “natural disaster” unfolding before their eyes. Biden’s inner circle was now facing the reality that their candidate might not have what it took to take on Trump in a meaningful way.
In the aftermath, Trump’s advisers were quick to point out that Biden’s weaknesses had been laid bare. But as the debate ended, Trump was more focused on the media narrative than on his own performance. The fact that Biden was getting all the attention, even after what Trump considered to be a lackluster performance, was a frustrating blow to his ego.
As the election cycle continued, Trump was faced with a difficult decision. He could choose to continue pressing Biden’s weaknesses, or he could allow the Democratic Party to turn on its own candidate.
In the end, Trump chose to take a step back and let the Democratic Party fight among themselves. This strategy allowed him to watch as Biden’s campaign faced mounting pressure from within, and he refrained from taking the spotlight away from Biden’s internal struggles.
The decision to stand aside and let Biden’s own party pick apart his candidacy was one of the rare moments when Trump allowed conventional political wisdom to guide his strategy. Rather than directly attacking Biden, Trump let the Democratic Party self-destruct, watching from the sidelines as Biden’s vulnerabilities became more apparent.
The 2024 presidential debate was a turning point for Trump’s campaign. It revealed the internal challenges he faced in navigating his own image and the media narrative, as well as the complexities of dealing with an opponent who was, at times, more capable than expected.
It also highlighted the strategic adjustments that Trump would need to make in order to maintain control over the race.
For Biden’s campaign, the debate was a wake-up call. Despite his advisers’ concerns, Biden’s performance was not up to the level needed to successfully confront Trump. The internal struggles within the Democratic Party would only continue to intensify in the lead-up to the election, and Trump’s ability to step back and let them implode became one of the key tactics in his strategy for winning the presidency.
