‘It Should Follow Him to His Grave’: Biden Attacks Trump in New Memoir

Former United States President Joe Biden has accused President Donald Trump of leading the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack in an attempt to remain in power after losing the 2020 presidential election, saying the incident should follow Trump “to his grave”.

Biden made the remarks in his forthcoming White House memoir, titled Promise Me, America, in which he delivers a strong criticism of Trump’s political leadership, his handling of the aftermath of the 2020 election and his return to the White House.

In an excerpt published by The Atlantic on Monday, November 9, Biden described the attack on the US Capitol as an insurrection organised by Trump’s supporters to prevent Congress from certifying his victory in the 2020 election.

“Donald Trump led an insurrection,” Biden wrote, arguing that the former president’s objective was to remain in office after American voters had chosen a different leader.

The former president also rejected descriptions of the rioters as peaceful protesters, noting that they had attacked police officers and attempted to disrupt the constitutional process of transferring presidential power.

Biden further criticised Trump for pardoning more than 1,500 people convicted over their involvement in the January 6 attack, accusing him of disregarding the violence suffered by law enforcement officers during the riot.

“What Trump did on January 6, 2021, should never be forgotten. It should follow him to his grave,” Biden wrote.

The memoir also examines the relationship between the two politicians, including a nearly two-hour meeting at the White House shortly after Trump’s victory in the November 2024 presidential election.

According to Biden’s account, Trump told him during the meeting that they could have been good friends if politics had not come between them.

Biden said he used the encounter to brief Trump on major international issues, including the Russia-Ukraine war, NATO, tensions involving Israel and Gaza, and relations between Washington and Beijing.

However, he claimed the discussion left him concerned that Trump would dismantle several of his administration’s achievements after returning to office.

The former president also criticised Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency and the reversal of several policies introduced during his administration, particularly those addressing climate change.

Biden described Trump’s second administration as one that sought to weaken public institutions and deepen divisions within American society.

The 83-year-old Democrat, who served as the 46th US president from 2021 to 2025, said his health would limit his participation in promotional activities for the book. He disclosed that he was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer but said his doctors remained encouraged by his response.

Promise Me, America is scheduled for publication on November 17, 2026. Its title echoes Biden’s earlier memoir, Promise Me, Dad, which focused on his late son Beau Biden and his battle with cancer.

The release comes amid continuing political divisions in the United States over the January 6 attack, Trump’s handling of the 2020 election results and the consequences of his return to power.

The January 6 attack occurred when supporters of Trump stormed the US Capitol as lawmakers met to certify Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. The violence forced legislators to suspend proceedings and resulted in injuries to police officers, deaths and extensive damage to the Capitol complex.

Trump has repeatedly disputed aspects of the criticism surrounding the attack and issued sweeping pardons and commutations to people convicted in connection with the riot after returning to office in January 2025.

The memoir offers Biden’s latest account of the political confrontation that defined the end of his presidency and continues to shape American politics.