Joe Biden, 82, Required Flash Cards to Recognize Hillary Clinton and Hollywood Stars

Unearthed briefing cards from Joe Biden’s troubled presidency have revealed just how far the 82-year-old relied on cheat sheets to get through even the most basic encounters.

According to documents first reported by Fox News, Biden required notecards with photographs, names, and short biographies to recognize some of the most famous faces in American politics and culture—including Hillary Clinton.

One card reminded Biden that Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, had also served as Secretary of State during the Obama-Biden years. Insiders say these reminders weren’t limited to obscure figures but included people Biden had worked with for decades.

“It was alarming,” said one former staffer familiar with the briefing process. “These weren’t just names from the back benches. This was Hillary. This was Schumer. If he needed that level of prompting, what does it tell you about who was actually running things?”

The flash cards also covered celebrities and donors. Biden was reminded that Denzel Washington was “one of the greatest actors of the 21st century” and that billionaire David Rubenstein was a longtime Biden family friend. Rubenstein, in fact, hosted Biden for Thanksgiving at his Nantucket estate as recently as 2024.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also appeared on the lists. Even at events honoring Medal of Freedom recipients, staff had to supply Biden with names and descriptions to keep him from stumbling.

The cheat sheets went beyond introductions. Some included pre-written answers to reporters’ questions. One notecard quoted a 2023 ABC News inquiry about Biden’s age and reelection campaign. The card even suggested how Biden should frame his response: “Just watch me.”

But voters did watch—and by 2024, polls showed nearly 70 percent of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, believed he shouldn’t run again.

Biden’s dependence on cards wasn’t new. He had been photographed before with lists of “pre-selected journalists” to call on at press conferences. Critics long argued this was a sign of declining cognitive ability, especially as he repeatedly stumbled in public appearances.

By the time he left the White House in January 2025, Biden had withdrawn from his reelection campaign and was facing mounting personal debts.

The revelation has sparked sharp contrasts with the current president. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers drew a line under the difference between Biden and Trump:

“President Trump gives unfettered access to the media and answers every question imaginable, without pre-screening the press questions or collecting reporters’ palm cards ahead of time like his incompetent predecessor,” Rogers said. “Unlike Joe Biden, President Trump is actually running our country, and he doesn’t ever shy away from taking on the fake news to deliver the truth.”

For Biden, the exposure of even needing Hillary Clinton’s name on a card is another damaging entry in the long catalog of gaffes and doubts over his mental sharpness. For Trump, it’s another opening to reinforce his image as the man still in command.