It is weird seeing Delaware without the motorcades. For years, the sight of black SUVs and state police was basically a weather forecast in Wilmington—if they were there, Joe was home. Now, things are different.
After fifty years in the public eye, Joe Biden has officially entered the "elder statesman" phase. It’s a transition that’s honestly kind of jarring for a guy who has been at the center of every major American political debate since the 1970s. You’d think he’d just want to take a nap for three years straight, but that isn't really the Biden brand. People keep asking, what will Joe Biden do now, as if there's a secret blueprint. The reality is a mix of high-level legacy building and a lot of time spent at the beach.
The Presidential Library and the Delaware Legacy
The biggest project on the horizon is the Joe Biden Presidential Library. It was confirmed late in 2025 that the site will be in Delaware, which surprises absolutely nobody. Delaware is where he started, and it's where he wants his legacy to live.
He’s already put together a board to run the show. We’re talking about a 13-person "who’s who" of his inner circle, including former Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Rufus Gifford. They aren't just building a museum with a gift shop. The plan is to turn this into a "vibrant space" for civic leadership. Basically, it’s going to be a hub for training the next generation of Democrats and policy wonks.
But here is the catch: fundraising.
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Raising hundreds of millions of dollars for a library isn't easy when the political landscape is this fractured. Major donors are sometimes hesitant to write those massive checks when the current administration is constantly taking swings at the previous one. Still, the Biden team is moving forward, meeting with officials from other libraries (except the Hoover one, which was closed for repairs) to figure out how to build a museum that feels "immersive."
A $10 Million Story to Tell
Biden is also getting back into the author game. He secured a massive memoir deal with Little, Brown & Co. for a reported $10 million advance. That’s a lot of scratch, though it’s notably less than the $60 million the Obamas pulled in.
What’s he actually writing?
- The White House Years: He wants to set the record straight on his four years in the Oval Office.
- The 2024 Decision: Expect a lot of ink on his decision to step aside and the internal party dynamics that led to it.
- The "Why" of his Policies: He’s reportedly working "like hell" to research and explain why he made the calls he did on things like the Inflation Reduction Act and the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Industry insiders say he’s trying to expedite the process. At 83, he knows that the window to define his own narrative is narrowing. He wants to address the critics who questioned his mental and physical stamina head-on. Whether the book changes anyone's mind is a different story, but it’s going to be a bestseller regardless.
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Returning to the Biden Institute
The University of Delaware is basically Biden’s second home. The Biden Institute there has been his intellectual base since he was Vice President, and he’s expected to spend a lot more time on campus now.
It’s a research center under the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration. You might see him popping into seminars or hosting "fireside chat" style events with students. His sister, Valerie Biden Owens, is heavily involved there too. It’s a way for him to stay "in the mix" without having to deal with the daily grind of the 24-hour news cycle. He can talk about the Violence Against Women Act or the Cancer Moonshot initiative—the stuff he actually cares about—without having to worry about a debt ceiling crisis.
The Personal Side: Grandkids and Reclaiming Time
Honestly, the most relatable part of what Joe Biden is doing now is just being a grandfather. The Bidens have always been a tight-knit, almost clannish family.
He’s been spotted more frequently at the family’s beach house in Rehoboth. There’s less pressure. No "football" (the nuclear briefcase) following him into the surf. Jill Biden is still teaching, but for Joe, the schedule is finally his own. There’s a sense that he’s trying to reclaim the time he lost to the presidency.
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Addressing the "Elephant in the Room"
We have to talk about the pardons.
Before leaving office, Biden issued several controversial pardons, including for his son, Hunter. This has been a major talking point in early 2026. He’s defended these moves as a response to what he called "baseless and politically motivated investigations." This is a big part of what he’ll be doing now: defending his choices. He isn't going to just fade away and let the current administration rewrite the history of his family’s legal battles.
Actionable Insights for Following His Post-Presidency
If you want to keep tabs on what he's actually up to without the noise, here are a few things to watch:
- The Biden Institute Events: Their calendar is the best way to see when he’s making public appearances. They often livestream their policy summits.
- The Library Groundbreaking: Once they announce a specific site in Delaware, that will be the first major physical milestone of his post-presidency.
- Book Release Dates: Keep an eye on Hachette’s announcements. A book tour would be the first time he really hits the road across the country again.
Joe Biden isn't the type to disappear into a ranch and paint pictures of his feet like George W. Bush did at first. He’s a "man of the Senate" at heart. He’ll be writing, speaking, and trying to make sure his version of the last four years is the one that sticks in the history books.
To stay updated on the progress of the upcoming Joe Biden Presidential Library, you can monitor the official University of Delaware Biden School news feed or the Biden Institute’s public announcements for upcoming legacy projects and fundraising milestones.