This story is adapted from the forthcoming book "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson.

Joe Biden's physical deterioration was so severe in 2023 and 2024 that advisers privately discussed the possibility he'd need to use a wheelchair if he won re-election, CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson write in their new book, "Original Sin," out a week from today.

• Why it matters: The discussions reflected the extent of the president's declining health — particularly the significant degeneration of his spine — and his aides' alarm over it as Biden sought a second term at age 81.

The conversations also reveal the White House's determination to conceal the reality of Biden's condition, at the risk of his own health, while he faced a tough re-election bid against Donald Trump.

• The book is based on interviews with more than 200 people, mostly Democratic insiders, with knowledge of the events that unfolded during the final two years of Biden's presidency. Almost all of the interviews took place after the 2024 election.

⚡ "Biden's physical deterioration — most apparent in his halting walk — had become so severe that there were internal discussions about putting the president in a wheelchair, but they couldn't do so until after the election," the authors write.

• Biden aides believed it was politically untenable to have Biden use a wheelchair amid his re-election campaign.
• "Given Biden's age, [his physician Kevin O'Connor] also privately said that if he had another bad fall, a wheelchair might be necessary for what could be a difficult recovery," the authors report.

Biden's team had increasing fears of a fall after the president tripped over a sandbag at the Air Force Academy in June 2023. Aides began taking many more precautions to avoid a repeat before the November 2024 election.

• They tried to figure out shorter walking paths, began insisting on handrails for steps up to the stage at his appearances, had him wear sneakers more often, changed his visual briefings before events to ensure he knew every step he was expected to take, and guided him more carefully through the movements.

The intrigue: O'Connor had long privately expressed worry about the toll the presidency was taking on Biden's health.

• The doctor often argued with Biden's political officials to try to get more rest time into the president's schedule.
• O'Connor sometimes quipped that Biden's staff members were trying to kill him, while he was trying to keep him alive.

🔎 Zoom in: Throughout 2024, Biden aides told reporters that his halting walk was partly the result of him fracturing his foot in November 2020, and then refusing to consistently wear his walking boot. In short, they said, Biden was being undone by his own vigor.

• But that contradicted what O'Connor had publicly reported at the time.
• After Biden wore a walking boot for 10 weeks in late 2020 and early 2021, O'Connor noted that "both small fractures of his foot are completely healed" and that "this injury has healed as expected."
• O'Connor repeated in his public health summaries that Biden had "mild post-­fracture foot arthritis," but focused largely on "significant spinal arthritis" to explain the changes in the president's gait.

💬 What they're saying: Asked about the book's reporting, a Biden spokesperson who declined to be named said in a statement to Axios that Biden's "medical exam made clear that he had a stiffened gait caused, in part, by wear and tear to his spine — but that no special treatment was necessary and that it had not worsened."

• "He was transparent about this, and it was far from 'severe,'" the statement added. "Yes, there were physical changes as he got older, but evidence of aging is not evidence of mental incapacity."
• "And so far," the statement continued, "we are still waiting for someone, anyone, to point out where Joe Biden had to make a presidential decision or make a presidential address where he was unable to do his job because of mental decline. In fact, the evidence points to the opposite — he was a very effective president."

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On everything from international diplomacy to personal business, hostage negotiations to investment deals, Gulf countries are President Trump's partners of first resort, Axios' Dave Lawler, Barak Ravid and Zachary Basu write.

• Why it matters: Trump, who arrived in Saudi Arabia early this morning, is spurning traditional democratic allies in favor of Gulf monarchies — drawn by their wealth, deal-making and growing global clout.

Behind the scenes: Officials from all three countries he's visiting — Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE — have an unusual level of access in Washington, where Gulf money has long bankrolled an army of lobbyists, influencers and think tanks.

• The Qatari prime minister and the Emirati national security adviser were both granted dinners with Trump on recent visits despite not being heads of state.

🖼️ The big picture: Trump has been looking to the Gulf states for more than just their checkbooks.

• Trump turned to Saudi Arabia to host U.S.-Russia talks, and later U.S.-Ukraine talks. Trump was also interested in meeting Vladimir Putin in Riyadh, along with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
• While that meeting hasn't happened, Trump has now floated the idea of a summit in Istanbul.

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Top MAGA influencers Ben Shapiro, Laura Loomer and Mark Levin broke sharply with President Trump over his decision to accept a $400 million private jet from the Qatari government, Axios' Tal Axelrod and Zachary Basu write.

• Why it matters: The revolt marks one of the few times since Trump's return to power that key voices in his base have publicly questioned his judgment — revealing cracks in a MAGA coalition built on unwavering loyalty.

Trump, who will visit Qatar as part of his Middle East trip this week, has scoffed at criticism of the royal family's extraordinary gift, saying it would be "stupid" to turn down a new Air Force One.

• But for pro-Israel Republicans, Trump's coziness with Qatar — which they see as a chief sponsor of Hamas — crosses a red line.

🔭 Zoom in: "I love President Trump," tweeted Loomer, an influential MAGA conspiracy theorist who played a key role in ousting national security adviser Mike Waltz. "I would take a bullet for him. But, I have to call a spade a spade. We cannot accept a $400 million 'gift' from jihadists in suits."

• Mark Levin and Ben Shapiro, two of the most prominent pro-Israel voices on the MAGA right, have expressed deep alarm at Trump's growing ties with Qatar — a U.S. ally that denies accusations that it finances terrorist groups.
• "Taking sacks of goodies from people who support Hamas, Muslim Brotherhood, Al Jazeera, all the rest, that's not America First," Shapiro said on his top-rated podcast.

🎙️ Shapiro also warned that the Trump family's crypto ventures are inviting "influence peddling" allegations that could damage the MAGA agenda.

• "I think if we switch the names to Hunter Biden and Joe Biden, we'd all be freaking out on the right," Shapiro said. "If you want President Trump to succeed, this kind of skeezy stuff needs to stop."

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Nearly 63% of the U.S. population was served by fluoridated community water systems as of 2022, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes from CDC estimates.

• Why it matters: Fluoridation is once again becoming a political flashpoint, with Utah and Florida recently moving to ban the practice — a step encouraged by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Interactive map: State-by-state data.

Signs of a DOGE recession are flashing in D.C. — rising unemployment, less credit card spending and jitters about more federal cuts, Axios D.C.'s Cuneyt Dil writes.

• Why it matters: A local "mild recession" is expected as the Trump administration downsizes the capital city's big factory — the federal government, employer to 17% of the region's workforce.

State of play: Even before most of the federal job cuts, the number of unemployed residents in D.C. increased 12.2% in February over last year, city stats show.

• Spending at big retailers in the region dropped 2% in April, the Washington Post reported after crunching credit card data from Earnest Analytics.
• Everyday locals are skipping pricey gym memberships and dining out less, business owners tell the Post.
• D.C. home listings are soaring.

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The backchannel talks that led to the release of Edan Alexander began with a message from a Hamas official to Bishara Bahbah, the former leader of "Arab Americans for Trump," Israeli, Palestinian and U.S. officials tell Axios' Barak Ravid.

• Why it matters: Hamas was seeking a way to convince President Trump to put more pressure on Israel, and Trump's team was intent on freeing the last living American held in Gaza.

Bahbah, a Palestinian-American businessman who helped Trump make inroads with Arab voters in 2024, became the unlikely intermediary.

👀 The intrigue: A Hamas official outside Gaza reached out to Bahbah in late April in hopes of striking up a dialogue with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff.

• It took time for that backchannel to materialize, but it gained momentum last week, a senior Israeli official tells Axios.

Around 20 messages were passed between the sides in calls and texts to Bahbah over the last two weeks.

• Keep reading.

The share of international job seekers looking to work in the U.S. has declined sharply this year, Axios' Emily Peck writes from an Indeed report out today.

• Why it matters: The labor market is slowing down, and stricter immigration policy — beginning with the Biden administration and accelerating under President Trump — is further cooling demand for American jobs.

By the numbers: Clicks from job seekers outside the U.S. started climbing in mid-2021 as the job market boomed in the pandemic recovery.

• The international clicks peaked in August 2023, at 2.4% of all postings, and declined to 1.7% by March 2025.

The Dallas Mavericks won last night's NBA Draft Lottery — and the chance to draft Duke sensation Cooper Flagg.

• Why it matters: The team is still rebounding from one of the wildest trades in NBA history — sending Luka Dončić to the Lakers — and missing this year's playoffs after making it to the NBA Finals last year, Axios Dallas' Tasha Tsiaperas and Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi write.

By the numbers: The Mavericks had just a 1.8% chance of getting the first pick.

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