Biden says in memoir he had limited trust in Israel's Netanyahu

Former US President Joe Biden said he had limited trust in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his new memoir, according to The Wall Street Journal. Biden reflects on his one-term presidency in the book, Promise Me, America, which was published following the Democrats' success in the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

Biden defends Afghanistan withdrawal

Biden defended his decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan in 2021, saying he believed it was the right choice and that he would make the same decision if he were president again under similar circumstances. He said then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley had expressed concerns about the consequences of the withdrawal.

Biden noted that he had been assured the Afghan government could survive for at least six months after US forces departed, but it collapsed within days instead. The US and the Taliban had signed an agreement for US forces' withdrawal from Afghanistan in February 2020, during Donald Trump's first term as president.

Netanyahu and the Gaza war

Writing about his relationship with “Bibi” Netanyahu, Biden said the Israeli prime minister prioritized his short-term political future over Israel's long-term interests. “There wasn't much trust between us. I was also concerned about Bibi's tendencies, which were similar to Trump's. He could be extremely flexible with the facts and had no hesitation about bending democratic institutions to serve his personal interests,” Biden wrote.

Biden said he did not regret supporting Israel following the events of Oct. 7, 2023, but added that the deaths of large numbers of innocent Palestinians had caused him “deep sadness.”

Putin and Zelenskyy

Turning to other world leaders, Biden described Russian President Vladimir Putin as having a “grumpy manner” and said Putin would intentionally slouch during meetings, trying to appear uninterested “like a teenager.” Biden also said he believed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's background as an actor was “actually very good training” for a leader during wartime.