Michael Donilon, a longtime aide to former President Joe Biden, is appearing before House Oversight Committee investigators this week as part of an ongoing probe into potential misconduct during the Biden campaign. The inquiry, led by Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, now focuses on Donilon’s extensive role in advising Biden during his time in the White House and in his short-lived 2024 re-election bid.
Donilon’s position in Biden’s inner circle has been described as part of a ‘Politburo’ of advisors by Axios and CNN, with reports suggesting that he was heavily involved in running the White House and managing the outgoing president’s political strategy. He was paid $4 million for his work on the 2024 campaign, where he acted as a key intermediary between Biden and his pollsters. Since the campaign’s demise, Donilon has joined Harvard University as a Spring 2025 Resident Fellow at its Institute of Politics.
The probe into Biden’s campaign has also led to other figures being scrutinized, including former White House advisor Ron Klain, who recently avoided reporters after a lengthy interrogation. Meanwhile, Donilon’s comments on the June 2024 presidential debate, where Biden faced criticism, have drawn rebukes from fellow Democrats, including David Axelrod, who called them ‘delusional.’ As the House Oversight Committee continues its investigation, the focus remains on understanding the extent of Donilon’s role in the events that led to Biden’s exit from the race.