Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) faced a series of pointed questions during an appearance [1] on the podcast Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso, where she was asked to defend previous public statements regarding Joe Biden’s mental acuity.
The exchange, which aired recently, put a spotlight on growing questions surrounding Biden’s cognitive state — questions that have continued to intensify since the 2024 election cycle.
Fragoso opened the segment by referencing Warren’s prior comments in support of Joe Biden’s mental sharpness during his presidency.
He asked directly, “Do you regret saying that President Biden had a mental acuity, he had a sharpness to him? You said that up until July of last year.”
Warren responded, “I said what I believed to be true,” but provided no additional context in her initial answer.
Fragoso followed up, asking, “And he, you think he was as sharp as you?”
After a pause and a nervous chuckle, Warren replied, “Um, I said I had not seen decline,” then clarified, “And I hadn’t at that point.”
The host pressed further: “You did not see any decline from 2024 Joe Biden to 2021 Joe Biden?”
Warren stood by her earlier remarks, stating, “Not when I said that. You know, the, uh, the — the thing is he… Look, he was sharp, he was on his feet. I saw him [at] live event[s], I had meetings with him a couple of times.”
Fragoso responded, “Senator, ‘on his feet’ is not praise. ‘He can speak in sentences’ is not praise.”
Warren replied, “All right. Fair enough. Fair enough.”
Podcast host Sam Fragoso GRILLS Elizabeth Warren on her past defense of Biden’s mental fitness — she DOUBLES DOWN and gets called out on it
FRAGOSO: “Do you regret saying that President Biden had a mental acuity, he had a sharpness to him? You said that up until July of last… pic.twitter.com/6YJY3U1sRX [2]
— Jason Cohen (@JasonJournoDC) April 21, 2025 [3]
The interview comes at a time when some within the Democratic Party are facing renewed scrutiny over their continued public backing of Joe Biden’s capabilities.
Warren’s exchange with Fragoso is one of the most notable examples to date of a high-ranking Democratic figure appearing to struggle when directly asked to defend that position.
Over the course of the interview, Warren did not provide specific examples or personal observations to counter the question of decline, and instead repeated general phrases.
Her responses were limited to brief descriptions of Biden being “on his feet” or attending live events — comments that were challenged in real time by the interviewer.
The timing of the interview is notable as Biden continues to face ongoing scrutiny related to his public appearances, speaking gaffes, and media interactions.
While the White House has regularly pushed back against criticism regarding the president’s health, concerns have continued to surface, including from within the Democratic base.
The full episode is available on streaming platforms and has since circulated widely across social media.
Warren’s office has not issued a follow-up statement or response to clarify or expand on the comments made during the podcast interview.