Jill Biden, the former First Lady, provides insight into her life post-presidency by sharing a private moment with her social media followers. The former educator posted a picture of Willow, the family cat, comfortably situated among moving boxes as they settle into their home in Delaware.
“Best unpacking buddy,” was the caption on Dr. Biden’s Instagram post, underlining the change from the official surroundings of the White House to the familiar environment of their Delaware home. This follows an earlier holiday post featuring Willow, where she had written, “A season of peace and light – and Willow.”
The Bidens have relocated to Delaware, where they own two properties – a 6,850-square-foot house in Greenville and a beach house in Rehoboth Beach. They purchased their Greenville property in 1996, solidifying their long-standing ties with the Blue Hen State.
This relocation follows President Biden’s decision to not run for re-election, a move that has elicited varied responses from his supporters. Some party members have attributed his decision to step back from presidential duties to age-related considerations, given he is 81 years old.
Their cat Willow has been a consistent feature in their new phase of life, especially noticeable due to the absence of their previous White House pets, Major and Commander. The prominence of Willow in their private life carries forward the longstanding tradition of American presidents owning pets, broken only by three presidents – James K. Polk, Andrew Johnson, and Donald Trump.
The tradition of pets in the White House began in 1800 during John Adams’ presidency. Over the years, presidential families have had a variety of interesting pets. The family of Franklin D. Roosevelt had a notable collection of pets, which included a bear, a lizard, guinea pigs, a pig, a badger, and even a hyena. Their Scottish Terrier, Fala, gained fame and even starred in a movie.
Presidents have received unusual gifts from foreign leaders, including elephants from the King of Siam and tiger cubs from the Sultan of Oman. More recently, the Clinton White House was home to Socks the cat, while the Bush family had Scottish Terriers named Barney and Miss Beazley, and the Obamas had Portuguese Water Dogs named Bo and Sunny.
The public has warmly responded to the glimpses into the Bidens’ private life. Instagram users have shared comments such as “Sweet Willow! enjoy retirement, we will miss you,” and “Really miss you and President Biden but know you have many more things in your life besides politics.” Another supporter remarked, “I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t have a pet especially in the white house! please come back Bidens.”
The Bidens’ future plans might involve working with the Biden Institute at the University of Pennsylvania and the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Delaware. While Joe Biden has indicated interest in continuing his work on foreign and domestic policy, Jill Biden’s future plans are yet to be announced, though her lifelong commitment to education implies a potential return to teaching.
“I’m not going to be out of sight or out of mind,” stated Joe Biden, expressing his plan to stay active in public life. This commitment is reflected in his early moves post-presidency, including signing with Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which also represents former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. CAA co-chairman Richard Lovett lauded Biden’s “lifelong commitment to public service” and expressed that they are “profoundly honored to partner with him again.”
Dr. Biden, who continued her teaching career at Northern Virginia Community College throughout her tenure as First Lady, has made no announcement about returning to the classroom. However, she plans to carry on her advocacy work through initiatives like Joining Forces, the Biden Cancer Moonshot, and the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research. Additionally, the couple plans to collaborate on children’s books, building on Dr. Biden’s previous publications.
The establishment of a presidential library is a significant upcoming project for the Bidens. Although the location has not been disclosed, it is expected to be built in Delaware.