Anita Dunn, a former communications adviser to President Joe Biden, has publicly held Nancy Pelosi responsible for the premature end of Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign. Dunn, who now supports Vice President Kamala Harris’s efforts, argued that Pelosi’s public questioning of Biden’s viability critically undermined his chances, leading to his eventual withdrawal from the race.

Dunn highlighted how Pelosi’s televised comments following Biden’s disappointing debate performance on June 27 were pivotal in shifting the narrative within the Democratic Party. She claimed that Pelosi’s remarks gave other party members the confidence to express their own concerns, which, combined with pressure from major donors, ultimately derailed Biden’s campaign. Dunn criticized the process, noting that it seemed more driven by donor interests than by the will of the primary voters who had supported Biden.

The pressure on Biden grew significantly after George Clooney, a major Democratic donor, published an op-ed urging Biden to step aside. Although Biden initially resisted the mounting calls for his withdrawal, he ultimately announced on July 21 that he would end his campaign, citing the need to prioritize party unity. Dunn described this decision as a stark departure from traditional political processes, pointing out that many undecided voters still believed in Biden’s chances.

In addition to blaming Pelosi for Biden’s withdrawal, Dunn also questioned her leadership during the 2022 midterms, suggesting that the loss of the House to Republicans might have been avoided with better guidance. Despite Pelosi’s public praise for Biden, her relationship with his former advisers remains distant, as she has not communicated with Biden since his decision to end his campaign.