Frail Former President Joe Biden Makes Surprise Appearance At Rhode Island Car Show

A noticeably frail former President Joe Biden showed up Sunday at the Audrain Newport Concours d'Elegance car show in Rhode Island. The 83-year-old leader made this surprise appearance despite his recent health struggles. Footage circulating on social media captured him waving to crowds before hobbling slowly toward his Secret Service vehicle. He spent hours mingling with collectors and curious fans while bringing his classic green 1967 Corvette Sting Ray.

Comedian Jay Leno also attended the event and spoke during the ceremony. Spottings show the two men chatting casually near the display tents. Before heading out, Biden displayed a quilted jacket embroidered with his name to a small group of admirers. Organizers presented him with an Audrain Automobile Museum Lifetime Membership along with that special ACMW jacket bearing his moniker. His prized Stingray took home the Spirit of Audrain Award at the auto show.

One woman shouted We love you into the microphone as the crowd cheered. Another onlooker yelled We love you too Jay directed at Leno. The former president brought his grandson Robert Hunter Biden II along for this outing. Hunter is the son of the late Beau Biden and Hallie. This public activity marks a rare moment since Biden dropped out of his reelection campaign in July 2024. He officially passed leadership back to President Donald Trump in January 2025.

Medical reports confirm he received an aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis in May 2025. The disease had metastasized and spread to his bones by then. His four-speed Stingray arrived as a wedding gift from his father, who owned a car dealership in Wilmington, Delaware. Campaign videos show the former leader backing this classic into his garage with boxes and lampshades visible behind him. A 2017 New York Times feature noted he reserved the car for special occasions only. A 2019 Washington Post profile stated he still changed the oil regularly himself.

Beau and Hunter paid to rebuild the Corvette engine as a Christmas gift years ago. Beau passed away in 2015 before completing this project. During his difficult 2020 campaign, Biden featured the car while promising to restore the American auto industry with electric vehicles. He told reporters I love this car with incredible memories inside every time I get in. The thought of my dad and Beau fills me up right now he added with a laugh about how well his father could drive.

Federal authorities located classified documents in a box near the Corvette back in January 2023. Evidence photos clearly show these papers stored close to his prized possession.