Former US President Joe Biden broke more than a year of public silence on Tuesday, announcing a presidential memoir titled Promise Me, America, due November 17 from Little Brown, in a two-minute promotional video that opened with family photos and footage of grandchildren before showing clips related to ending the war in Afghanistan and repeatedly displaying the book cover.
The video, posted on X, is Biden’s most visible public moment since leaving the White House in January 2025. In the clip, Biden said the book is about the decisions he made and why he made them, covering his COVID-19 response, economic recovery, the defence of democracy after January 6 and the two most scrutinised decisions of his presidency: why he sought re-election in 2024 and why he ultimately stepped aside in July of that year under pressure from fellow Democrats.
The memoir also addresses his prostate cancer diagnosis, disclosed in May 2025, and centres on Biden’s hope and faith in America’s future.
The November 17 release date lands two weeks after the midterm elections, giving Democrats a potential rallying moment in a competitive House race.
