Shumita Basu

But even before this news, his health, specifically his cognitive health, was a topic of debate and speculation. A turning point in this conversation came nearly a year ago when he and now President Trump met for their first and only debate of the 2024 campaign. Many Americans tuning in were shocked by what they saw.

But even before this news, his health, specifically his cognitive health, was a topic of debate and speculation. A turning point in this conversation came nearly a year ago when he and now President Trump met for their first and only debate of the 2024 campaign. Many Americans tuning in were shocked by what they saw.

But even before this news, his health, specifically his cognitive health, was a topic of debate and speculation. A turning point in this conversation came nearly a year ago when he and now President Trump met for their first and only debate of the 2024 campaign. Many Americans tuning in were shocked by what they saw.

At that point, the questions about Biden's ability to serve another term were impossible to ignore. But new reporting from CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson reveals that people in Biden's inner circle knew about his cognitive decline for years and that they actively concealed it from others in the administration, from elected officials and from the American people. Here's Thompson.

At that point, the questions about Biden's ability to serve another term were impossible to ignore. But new reporting from CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson reveals that people in Biden's inner circle knew about his cognitive decline for years and that they actively concealed it from others in the administration, from elected officials and from the American people. Here's Thompson.

At that point, the questions about Biden's ability to serve another term were impossible to ignore. But new reporting from CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson reveals that people in Biden's inner circle knew about his cognitive decline for years and that they actively concealed it from others in the administration, from elected officials and from the American people. Here's Thompson.

Thompson and Tapper lay out their reporting in a new book called Original Sin, President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. They're my guests this week on Apple News in Conversation. And just to say, we spoke a few days before Biden's cancer diagnosis was announced, so you won't hear us discuss that in this interview.

Thompson and Tapper lay out their reporting in a new book called Original Sin, President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. They're my guests this week on Apple News in Conversation. And just to say, we spoke a few days before Biden's cancer diagnosis was announced, so you won't hear us discuss that in this interview.

Thompson and Tapper lay out their reporting in a new book called Original Sin, President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. They're my guests this week on Apple News in Conversation. And just to say, we spoke a few days before Biden's cancer diagnosis was announced, so you won't hear us discuss that in this interview.

They told me Biden and his closest confidants didn't seem to be concerned by his disastrous debate performance or the fallout. In fact, they kept him largely isolated from outside opinions about the state of his campaign. Here's Tapper.

They told me Biden and his closest confidants didn't seem to be concerned by his disastrous debate performance or the fallout. In fact, they kept him largely isolated from outside opinions about the state of his campaign. Here's Tapper.

They told me Biden and his closest confidants didn't seem to be concerned by his disastrous debate performance or the fallout. In fact, they kept him largely isolated from outside opinions about the state of his campaign. Here's Tapper.

Eight days after that conversation, Biden announced he would step down. In response to the reporting in this book and elsewhere about his health, the former president has said that claims about his cognitive health declining during his presidency are wrong and that there is nothing to sustain them. To hear the rest of my conversation with Tapper and Thompson, stick around after today's show.

Eight days after that conversation, Biden announced he would step down. In response to the reporting in this book and elsewhere about his health, the former president has said that claims about his cognitive health declining during his presidency are wrong and that there is nothing to sustain them. To hear the rest of my conversation with Tapper and Thompson, stick around after today's show.

Eight days after that conversation, Biden announced he would step down. In response to the reporting in this book and elsewhere about his health, the former president has said that claims about his cognitive health declining during his presidency are wrong and that there is nothing to sustain them. To hear the rest of my conversation with Tapper and Thompson, stick around after today's show.

That episode will play for you next. Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following. The House has voted to approve legislation to fund President Trump's tax and immigration agenda, sending the bill to the Senate.

That episode will play for you next. Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following. The House has voted to approve legislation to fund President Trump's tax and immigration agenda, sending the bill to the Senate.

That episode will play for you next. Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following. The House has voted to approve legislation to fund President Trump's tax and immigration agenda, sending the bill to the Senate.

The bill would extend trillions of dollars in tax cuts from Trump's first term, along with hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending, while slashing spending on social safety net programs by more than $1 trillion over the next decade. The final vote came in the early hours of this morning, wrapping up a marathon 24-plus hour session.

The bill would extend trillions of dollars in tax cuts from Trump's first term, along with hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending, while slashing spending on social safety net programs by more than $1 trillion over the next decade. The final vote came in the early hours of this morning, wrapping up a marathon 24-plus hour session.