Former President Joe Biden is set to return to the public spotlight later this year with the release of a memoir reflecting on his four years in the White House.
According to the Associated Press, Little, Brown and Company will publish Promise Me, America on Nov. 17, placing its release just weeks after the 2026 midterm elections.
Biden announced the project Wednesday in a post on X.
“I’ve written a book about my time as President,” the former president said.
He also released a promotional video outlining the subjects the memoir will cover.
“It’s about the challenges we faced as a nation,” Biden said. “About the decisions I made, and why I made them.”
He listed several major events and priorities from his administration, including the federal response to COVID-19, economic recovery efforts, the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, the withdrawal from Afghanistan, strengthening NATO, and support for Ukraine.
Biden also said the memoir would address one of the defining political moments of his presidency.
“It’s about why I chose to run for reelection,” he said, “and why I chose to step aside.”
The announcement immediately renewed debate over Biden’s mental fitness during his presidency, an issue that became a dominant political story after his June 2024 debate performance against then-candidate Donald Trump. Critics argued that the debate confirmed concerns that had been raised for years about Biden’s cognitive abilities, while supporters maintained that he remained capable of serving.
I’ve written a book about my time as President. It’s called PROMISE ME, AMERICA. It’s coming out November 17th and is available for preorder now. https://t.co/uMINr9efxS@littlebrown pic.twitter.com/yzWfZyD31A
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 15, 2026
Questions about Biden’s health have continued after he left office. A report by Special Counsel Robert Hur, issued during Biden’s presidency, described him as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” language that fueled additional scrutiny from political opponents.
Republican lawmakers have also continued investigating how decisions were made inside the White House during Biden’s administration. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has examined the use of an autopen to sign official documents, raising questions about internal decision-making and authorization procedures. The committee has alleged that important actions were signed without sufficiently clear evidence of Biden’s direct approval, while the former administration has disputed broader claims that he was unable to perform the duties of the presidency.
The release of Biden’s memoir is also expected to revive discussion about the final months of his reelection campaign and his decision to withdraw from the 2024 race. Those events reshaped the Democratic Party’s presidential campaign and ultimately led to Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the party’s nominee.
Some Democratic strategists have expressed concern that renewed attention on the Biden years could complicate messaging ahead of future elections. Similar discussions accompanied the releases of books by Harris and former first lady Jill Biden, both of which revisited the administration’s record while Democrats sought to shift public attention toward current political issues.
