Jill Biden once opposed Kamala Harris as VP pick but says she was 'shocked' by her loss to Trump

WASHINGTON, DC: Jill Biden says she was “shocked” by Kamala Harris losing to Donald Trump in 2024 despite years of reported friction between them.

The former first lady made the remarks during an interview on CBS News while promoting her memoir 'View from the East Wing' reigniting scrutiny over her complicated history with Harris and how the Bidens processed the crushing election defeat.

Jill Biden says she 'truly felt' that Kamala Harris was going to win

Speaking about Harris’ failed White House bid, Jill Biden insisted she fully believed the former vice president would win.

“Oh, all out. I was out on the trail every, I mean, I think every single day I traveled the entire country,” she said.

“I was certain she was going to win, or the excitement for her, and the crowds, and I mean, how people rallied around her, and I truly felt that she was going to win,” Jill noted. 

“I was shocked she didn't win, because I think she would be a good president,” she insisted. “I went to bed. I mean, I just.. I couldn't believe that she had lost. I couldn't believe it.”

Trump ultimately defeated Harris with 312 electoral votes to her 226 while sweeping all seven swing states and winning 49.8% of the popular vote.

Old Jill Biden-Kamala Harris tensions resurface

The comments quickly revived old reports about Jill Biden’s apparent resentment toward Kamala Harris, dating back to the 2020 election.

According to the 2022 book 'This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America’s Future' by the New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns, Jill once questioned why her husband picked Harris after the then-senator sharply criticized the former president during a 2019 presidential debate.

“There are millions of people in the United States. Why … do we have to choose the one who attacked Joe?” Jill reportedly said.

That debate clash centered on Biden’s past opposition to busing policies tied to school desegregation. He was reportedly hurt by Harris’ remarks but still selected her as his running mate.

Burns and Martin also wrote that Biden and Harris are “friendly but not close,” while also detailing frustrations inside the White House over Harris’ role and political struggles.

One unnamed senator quoted in the book described Harris’ apparent political decline as a “slow-rolling Greek tragedy.”

Jill Biden's memoir rollout sparks scrutiny

Jill Biden’s latest comments also landed as critics continue accusing the Biden camp of trying to reshape public memory around the end of Joe Biden’s presidency and the chaotic 2024 race.

Her CBS News appearance was tied to the release of her memoir on June 2, which reflects on her White House years, her husband’s presidency and health challenges, and the abrupt end of the reelection campaign. Jill said she was "frightened" by Biden's 2024 debate performance. 

"I was frightened, because I had never ever seen Joe like that before or since. Never," she shared during the interview. "I don't know what happened. As I watched it, I thought, 'Oh, my God, he's having a stroke.' And it scared me to death."

Some Democrats criticized the interview for reopening wounds from the 2024 loss.

The contrast between Jill’s past frustration with Harris and her current insistence that she believed Harris would win is now drawing renewed attention from political observers still dissecting how Democrats absorbed Trump’s sweeping victory.