When Joe Biden Had Access to the President’s Daily Brief

Joe Biden, the current president, has once gained access to the President’s Daily Brief (PDB), a top-secret document summarizing U.S. intelligence and global affairs. This document has been humorously dubbed ‘The Death, Destruction, and Horrible Things Book’ by former First Lady Michelle Obama. As Biden went through the PDB, he followed in the footsteps of his predecessors, each with their own unique vision and approach to absorbing vital details. More than a decade ago, during his transition into the vice presidency, Biden had the chance to read President George W. Bush’s PDB. He further continued reading President Barack Obama’s PDB for eight years. And, after a four-year gap, he immersed himself in President Donald Trump’s PDB.

As per the AP , the format and style of the PDB often portray the preferences of the sitting president, which means that as Biden reviewed the briefings, the briefing team could also note down how to tailor the document to his liking. In the case of President Obama, his PDB was a 10 to 15-page document presented in a leather binder. Later on in his presidency, he transitioned to reading the ultra-secret intelligence brief on a secured iPad. It contained crucial information about global events, from terrorist cells in Somalia to unrest in Iraq.

Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, during their tenure, have also reviewed the PDB created for President Trump, who initially delayed providing them access as he contested the election results. Trump, known for his preference for visual details, went for crisp and concise text and graphics. Trump has indicated his preference for shorter documents with bullet points, and CBS News also reported that as per the CIA, “On most days, Trump’s PDB comprised three one-page items describing new developments abroad, plus brief updates of ongoing crises in the Middle East. The goal was to make the PDB shorter and tighter, with declarative sentences and no feature-length pieces.”

The written brief is often followed by a verbal briefing with an intelligence official, although these oral briefings ceased for a time in October 2020. Before being granted access to the PDB as president-elect, Biden received more general intelligence background briefings as a candidate that did not include the nation’s top secrets at the time. In addition to the PDB, a president-elect also receives a briefing on the Central Intelligence Agency’s covert actions. This information is significant because these actions become the responsibility of the new president on Inauguration Day.

The reading habits of presidents have varied over the years. President John F. Kennedy read his first brief while sitting on a diving board, while President Lyndon Johnson preferred reading in the afternoon. President Richard Nixon relied on his national security adviser to review the briefs and provide recommendations. In 2000, amid the contentious ballot recount, President Bill Clinton decided that then-Governor George W. Bush should have access to the PDB just in case he emerged as the winner, which meant Bush became the first incoming president to read the PDB before officially becoming president-elect.

Biden’s access to the PDB came later than usual due to Trump’s then-ongoing election protests. Trump approved the briefings for Biden shortly after his administration formally recognized the transition process to his successor. As Biden prepared to enter the Oval Office, he faced a multitude of pressing global challenges, including nuclear threats, Middle East unrest, withdrawal from Afghanistan, and increasing competition from China. Despite his extensive foreign policy experience, the PDB unfolded new insights and perspectives, reinforcing the old maxim that even the most well-versed leaders can have “aw s—” moments when faced with unexpected revelations.