Fastrack · Biden Says Trump Praised His Presidency in Private Meeting

Former President Joe Biden says Donald Trump told him they would be good friends if not for politics. The account appears in a memoir excerpt published by The Atlantic.

30-minute meeting ran nearly two hours, Biden writes.
Trump called Biden's job-creation record extraordinary, according to Biden.
Biden says Trump was relieved not to run against him.
Chiefs of staff Jeff Zients and Susie Wiles also attended.

Why it matters: Biden contrasts Trump's private warmth with his conduct in office. He writes that Trump led an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.

Biden criticizes Trump's clemency for about 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants.
Trump's pardon proclamation said the clemency ended a national injustice.

How 3 sources split on this story

Source landscape

Factuality

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Political Bias

Coverage by lean% of 3 sources

3 sources · 4 articles · 100% Left coverage

Left coverage, 3 sources: The left frames Trump's private flattery as a contrast with what Biden describes as an insurrection and the later Jan. 6 pardons.

Raw Story17mBiden spills on what Trump told him in private that left him 'too stunned to respond'AlterNet4h'Too stunned to respond': What Trump said to Biden behind closed doors The Independent2hBiden claims Trump complemented his time in office during 2024 meeting

What’s next: The full memoir comes out Nov. 17. Biden says cancer treatment will limit his promotion.

NBC News asked the White House for comment on the excerpt.
Will Trump or the White House dispute Biden's account of the meeting?
What else does the memoir say about Biden's health and his exit from the 2024 race?