A new book, Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson, alleges that a small, tight-knit group of aides, referred to as the “Politburo,” effectively controlled the Biden White House during the former president’s term. The book, detailed in a New York Post article, paints a picture of a presidency where key decisions were made by a select few, shielding President Joe Biden from broader input as his health and cognitive abilities came under scrutiny.

According to the authors, this inner circle included senior aides Mike Donilon, Steve Ricchetti, Bruce Reed, and First Lady Jill Biden’s top aide, Anthony Bernal. The group, likened to the Soviet Union’s ruling council, allegedly restricted access to Biden, limited his work hours, and controlled the flow of information to the president, particularly during his 2024 reelection campaign. The book suggests that this insular dynamic contributed to Biden’s decision to run for a second term, a choice that culminated in his withdrawal from the race in July 2024 after a widely criticized debate performance against Donald Trump.

The New York Post highlights specific claims from Original Sin, including Donilon’s alleged demand for “approximately $4 million” to leave his White House role and join Biden’s campaign, a move that reportedly outraged senior staff. The book also details how Biden’s schedule became increasingly limited in 2024, with Cabinet members noting that direct access to the president “dropped off considerably.” One Cabinet secretary is quoted as saying, “I don’t think he has dementia, but the thing is, he’s an old man. The president can give you four to six good hours a day.”

The authors argue that this “Politburo” shielded Biden from negative information and dissenting voices, creating an environment where the president was insulated from the reality of his declining health. This dynamic, the book contends, played a significant role in the Democratic Party’s loss to Trump in the 2024 election.

The revelations have fueled Republican criticism, with House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer demanding testimony from Biden’s doctor and top aides to investigate the handling of the former president’s health.

The timing of Original Sin’s release has been complicated by Biden’s recent diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer, announced on May 19, 2025. The diagnosis, which revealed the cancer had spread to his bones, has drawn sympathy but also suspicion, with some questioning whether Biden’s team concealed health issues for longer than disclosed. The book notes that even some Biden family members, such as Beau Biden’s widow, Hallie, expressed frustration over the lack of transparency regarding health matters.

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