A former senior Democratic National Committee insider recently confirmed earlier claims about who truly controlled the Biden White House, naming several powerful figures who rarely appeared in public. Lindy Li, once a top Democratic donor before her split with the party last year, revealed that progressives widely knew who was pulling the strings as then-President Joe Biden, at 82, struggled to navigate leadership.
Li described a group of “puppet masters” working behind the scenes to keep the White House functioning amid Biden’s challenges. She said, “[Biden is] definitely complicit, but there were a lot of people behind him, like puppet masters. [Former first lady Jill Biden] very much knew what she was doing. What she did was absolutely elder abuse.”
Last week, House Oversight Chair James Comer issued a subpoena to Anthony Bernal, Jill Biden’s former chief of staff, who was also named by ousted DNC co-chair David Hogg as a key influencer in the administration. Comer ordered Bernal to appear for a deposition by July 16. Bernal initially agreed to a voluntary interview but later withdrew after the White House waived his executive privilege, exposing him to potential legal risk.
Li described Bernal as “following Jill around like a dog,” and noted his growing influence as the first lady became more involved in Biden’s 2024 campaign.Li also identified deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed, counselor Steve Ricchetti, and senior advisors Anita Dunn and Mike Donilon as the main “puppet masters” effectively running the .
