Anita Dunn, a former senior advisor to President Joe Biden, testified before the House Oversight Committee on Thursday, asserting that Biden remained “fully engaged” throughout her interactions with him, according to a leaked opening statement.
A source familiar with the closed-door session told the Daily Caller that Dunn revealed Biden’s inner circle declined a cognitive test, citing no political advantage.
“While I observed that President Biden aged physically during his time in office, which is something that happens to every President, he remained throughout my interactions with him fully engaged and clear in his directions and supervision,” Dunn stated.
She emphasized Biden’s ability to probe arguments and make informed decisions, rejecting claims that staff made key decisions without his consent.
Political Strategy and Public Perception
Dunn’s testimony also addressed strategic decisions during Biden’s presidency, including the choice to skip a Super Bowl interview, influenced by the February 2024 Department of Justice Special Counsel Robert Hur report, which raised concerns about Biden’s memory.
The source noted Dunn claimed ignorance of Biden’s stutter until media reports in 2020, despite her decades-long acquaintance with him, dating back to the 1980s.
A House Oversight Committee spokesperson criticized Dunn’s remarks, stating to the Daily Caller:
“It’s no surprise Anita Dunn is telling the American people not to believe their own eyes, claiming Joe Biden was sharp and ‘fully engaged.’”
The spokesperson called the leaked statement “another example of the absurd lengths Biden loyalists will go to defend his failed presidency.”
Dunn’s extensive experience, including roles as a senior advisor to the Biden-Harris campaign and White House Communications Director under President Barack Obama, underscores her influence on Biden’s messaging and strategy.
Context of Oversight Inquiry
The House Oversight Committee’s probe into Biden’s cognitive health has included testimony from other aides, such as Steve Ricchetti, Mike Donilon, and Bruce Reed, who attributed Biden’s poor debate performance to his stutter rather than cognitive decline.
The committee is examining whether Biden’s team shielded him from scrutiny or assumed undue authority, with Dunn firmly stating, “I did not observe White House staff making key decisions or exercising the powers of the presidency without President Biden’s knowledge or consent.”
While Dunn praised Biden’s effectiveness, citing accomplishments like infrastructure investments and economic recovery efforts, critics point to polling data—such as a 2024 Pew Research survey showing 59% of Americans questioned Biden’s mental sharpness—as fueling the debate over transparency and leadership in his administration.
