Don’t Act Like You Didn’t Know About Joe: A Historical Look at Presidential Health and Public Trust

When it comes to the health of the Commander in Chief, America has a long tradition of denial, deception, and delayed disclosure. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s wheelchair was all but erased from public view. John F. Kennedy’s Addison’s disease and back problems were hidden behind a young, charismatic smile. Ronald Reagan’s early signs of cognitive decline were quietly discussed before they were ever publicly disclosed.

So when people act surprised that there are questions surrounding President Joe Biden’s health and vitality—don’t. Don’t act like you didn’t know. You knew. We all knew. We knew it as soon as he stepped onto the campaign trail. That’s why his handlers kept him in the basement. We saw it in every slip of the tongue and every slip on the stairs of Air Force One. He told strange stories. He sniffed little children. He regularly and conspicuously lost his train of thought, or lost his way trying to get off stage.
We knew.

You knew.

So don’t try to jump on the left’s mea culpa train now and try to pretend like you were fooled. You weren’t. You went along willingly because it benefitted you. Because anything was better than “Orange Man Bad.”

I’m tempted to say “this isn’t about politics.” But there’s no way this can’t be about politics, given that the US presidency is the most important political office in the entire world. But more importantly, it’s about public trust, and the quiet understanding that leadership at the highest levels should be both capable and transparent.

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Joe Biden’s Health in the Spotlight

President Biden has a well-documented medical history. At 81, he’s the oldest president in U.S. history, and his age has become a centerpiece of national debate. He’s had two brain aneurysms (one of which required major surgery in 1988), atrial fibrillation, and gastroesophageal reflux, among other age-related ailments—all of which are disclosed in his official medical reports.

Annual physicals have described him as a “healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male,” as if that even really exists, but even supporters admit that the optics don’t always match the bullet points. Stiff gaits, verbal slips, frequent falls, cringy hair-sniffing and awkward pauses are frequent headlines. Are these signs of something serious? Yes, I think in full context any reasonable person would perceive it to be so. And in an era of 10-second clips and bad-faith analysis, perception is reality.

So let’s not kid ourselves: every administration carefully crafts reports about the fitness of their people for public digestion. Medical summaries are always cleared, curated, and contextualized. To them, this isn’t lying—it’s messaging. But there’s a cost when the messaging feels disconnected from what voters can plainly see. To put it more colloquially and more crudely, don’t piss down my back and tell me that it’s raining.

…and Biden’s handlers have been pissing down the backs of the American people for a really long time.

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Why This Matters: The Role of the Presidency Has Changed

During FDR’s time, the public didn’t have 24/7 access to high-definition video. Today, every cough, misstep, and slow shuffle is clipped, shared, and scrutinized. The digital age doesn’t allow for the kind of plausible deniability that used to protect presidential privacy.

Yet the expectation remains the same: we want our president to be physically and mentally sharp. Not perfect. Not superhuman. Just capable—and honest. You know what? I take that back. Nothing I’ve seen in the last several US presidential elections leads me to believe that we want an honest president. But we do expect a capable one. And we all knew Biden wasn’t that guy.

Yes, all of us. Even the leftists. Especially the leftists.

The issue right now isn’t whether Joe Biden has health issues. We all knew he did. It’s not that the political machine conspired with their allies, the press, to cover it up. We all knew they did. No, the issue is, after all that the American people have been through, from the collusion to coverup to scandal after scandal, how can we ever trust our government, or the media, or any of our other institutions, ever again?

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Leadership Is More Than Optics—But Optics Matter

In military units, when a senior leader begins to show signs of slowed thinking or diminished physical presence, subordinates notice—even if nothing is said out loud. Confidence wanes. Initiative slows. Risk tolerance drops. But usually–at least in my experience–someone says something. Someone does something.

The presidency should be no different. Whether fair or not, strength inspires, and perceived weakness invites challenge—from allies, adversaries, and political opponents alike.

This isn’t about disrespecting age. It’s about facing the reality that leadership—especially in uncertain times—demands perceived readiness, not just clinical clearance.

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Transparency Is the Only Way Forward

To be clear: Joe Biden has not been diagnosed with dementia or any cognitive disorder. But we all know he has it. We don’t need someone with a bunch of letters after their name to tell us what we can see–over and over again–with our own eyes and hear–again and again–with our own ears. The questions about then-President Biden’s stamina and command presence won’t go away just because the White House tells us he’s “fit for duty.”

If anything, the legacy of past presidents should tell us the opposite: we’ve been here before, and we’ve learned the hard way that the truth always comes out—eventually.

So instead of downplaying, gaslighting, or dismissing legitimate questions, the better play—the leadership move—is transparency. Open briefings. Detailed medical disclosures. Maybe even neurocognitive testing.

Not because he has to, but because we’ve earned that trust as citizens. And frankly, because the position demands it.

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Conclusion: Don’t Act Surprised

Joe Biden’s age and health aren’t breaking news, especially coming now as it does on the heels of a politically embarrassing tell-all book. His issues have been discussed, debated, and documented for years. What matters now is whether the system—his administration, his party, and the electorate—chooses to treat these concerns with honesty or spin.

Because the American people can handle the truth.

What they can’t stand is pretending it’s not there.

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Scott Faith is a veteran of a half-dozen combat deployments and has served in several different Special Operations units over the course of his Army career. Scott’s writing focuses largely on veterans’ issues, but he is also a big proponent of Constitutional rights and has a deep interest in politics. He often allows other veterans who request anonymity to publish their work under his byline. Scott welcomes story ideas and feedback on his articles and can be reached at havokjournal@havokmedia.com. 

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.