Mike Donilon, former President Joe Biden's longest-serving political aide, told congressional investigators Thursday that he stood to make $8 million from Biden's 2024 reelection campaign, half of which was already paid and the remaining $4 million contingent on an electoral victory.
The revelation came during Donilon's closed-door testimony before the House Oversight Committee, which is examining Biden's cognitive decline and fitness for office during his presidency. Donilon told congressional investigators Thursday that he was paid $4 million for his work on Biden's 2024 re-election campaign and would have made an additional $4 million if Biden had won, according to a person familiar with his testimony.
The testimony highlights potential conflicts of interest in Biden's inner circle during crucial decisions about his candidacy. Donilon's testimony shows he had a financial incentive for Biden to run for re-election even as the majority of voters expressed doubts about the president's ability to do the job for another four years.
Donilon's $4 million salary was first reported in the book "Original Sin," but the potential $4 million bonus was previously unknown. The compensation package dwarfs that of other senior campaign officials.
Campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon made $300,000 and went to the campaign at the same time as Donilon.
Former Democratic Representative Dean Phillips previously described Donilon as one of the "ringleaders" trying to keep Biden in the 2024 presidential race, warning that figures like him are motivated by "self-preservation."
During his six-hour testimony, Donilon pushed back against claims about Biden's cognitive decline.
"What I saw, day in and day out, was a leader who was deeply engaged and in command on critical issues, both at home and abroad," Mr. Donilon told investigators in a prepared statement.
The longtime aide acknowledged some changes in Biden's presentation while maintaining that the former president remained capable. He did admit that Mr. Biden's performance wasn't as commanding as he had been, and he would stumble over words. However, he insisted that "every president ages over the four years of a presidency and President Biden did as well, but he also continued to grow stronger and wiser as a leader as a result of being tested".
Donilon defended the decision-making process that ultimately led to Biden's withdrawal from the race. Donilon also said he believed that the party overreacted to Biden's debate performance, according to sources familiar with his testimony.
The aide, who has worked with Biden since 1981, said he "was frustrated and knew it was difficult to get past the visuals of President Biden that people were seeing" but maintained that Democrats and pundits pushed too hard for Biden's exit from the race.
When questioned about the controversial use of an autopen machine to sign official documents, Donilon told congressional investigators he had no knowledge of the autopen or its use. The autopen has become a focal point in Republican investigations into how the White House operated during questions about Biden's fitness.
Donilon is the eighth former Biden administration aide to appear before the House Oversight Committee as part of Chairman James Comer's probe into Biden's mental fitness. The investigation continues with other close Biden advisers, including Steve Ricchetti, who also testified Thursday.
The testimony reveals growing tensions within Democratic circles about the financial and political motivations that influenced critical decisions during Biden's failed reelection effort. Many Biden aides and Democrats across Washington have resented Donilon's high salary and questioned his navigation of Biden's failed re-election effort.
The House Oversight Committee's investigation continues as Republicans seek to build a comprehensive picture of decision-making processes within the Biden White House during the final months of his presidency.