Biden’s Post-White House Life Is Far From Glamorous

Joe Biden’s post-presidency has been far less lucrative than those of his predecessors, with The Wall Street Journal reporting that the former president, now 82, has struggled to secure high-paying speaking gigs, book deals, and corporate roles due to his age, unpopularity within Democratic circles, and companies’ fear of backlash from Donald Trump’s administration.

Unlike Barack Obama or Bill Clinton, who cashed in with multimillion-dollar publishing contracts and a steady flow of corporate speaking engagements, Biden has faced limited opportunities, often negotiating speaking fees down from the $300,000–$500,000 range he initially pitched.

At the same time, the Bidens are managing debt on their Rehoboth Beach property, higher property taxes, and ongoing family financial strains, including Hunter Biden’s legal and personal troubles.

A $10 million book deal is in progress, but it falls short of Obama’s $60 million publishing contract, underscoring the scale of the challenge Biden faces.

Plans for a presidential center at the University of Delaware are moving slowly amid donor reluctance, while his wife Jill Biden has retired from teaching to focus on unpaid advocacy.