Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks during a taping of an episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour at The 92nd Street Y on Monday, June 15, 2026, in New York. (AP photo)Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said President Joe Biden made a “terrible mistake” by seeking a second term in 2024, arguing that his decision left Democrats in a difficult position and ultimately contributed to Donald Trump’s return to the White House.Speaking at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan, the 2016 Democratic nominee argued he had reneged on an earlier commitment to step aside, calling that broken promise catastrophic, The Guardian reported.Hillary said, “He made a terrible mistake for himself, his legacy, and for the country.”She described his decision to stay in the race as a terrible miscalculation and said once Biden refused to step aside and held on for as long as he did, it left the party in a deeply difficult position.Hillary added, “Once [Biden] didn’t move and did not, you know, admit that he had said he was going to step aside, and then decided not to, and held on for as long as he did, we were in a terrible dilemma.”Why Clinton believes Democrats lostBiden withdrew from the race in July 2024 following a widely criticised debate performance against Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris subsequently became the Democratic nominee but lost the general election.His wife, Jill Biden, later revealed that while watching the debate, she feared he might be suffering a stroke.Story continues below this adWas Biden the only factor?Still, Clinton’s assertion that any Democrat would have defeated Trump warrants closer scrutiny, the report added.A 2025 report by the left-leaning group Way to Win identified three broader factors behind the Democrats’ defeat: widespread voter demand for economic change, a structural media advantage enjoyed by Republicans, and a disconnect between progressive positions on issues such as Gaza, racial justice, and immigration and the views of much of the electorate.Hillary was one of Biden’s most prominent Democratic allies and had largely avoided publicly criticising his decision to run again.It also references a belated and controversial internal Democratic Party review, which found that the party had been steadily losing ground at every level of government for nearly two decades, suggesting that Biden’s candidacy was just one factor among several deeper structural issues, not necessarily the decisive one. Hillary Clinton said former President Joe Biden made a “terrible mistake” by running for reelection in 2024, arguing another Democratic nominee would have defeated President Trump had the party held a competitive primary.“He made a terrible mistake for himself, his legacy and… pic.twitter.com/6yakfsCMfv— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 16, 2026https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsStory continues below this adBiden defeated Trump in 2020 and became the 46th president of the United States. He launched a re-election bid in 2023 before withdrawing from the race in July 2024.(Written by Paramita Datta, who is an intern with The Indian Express)The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram