Freedom, Secrets, and a Quiet Goodbye
Ashley Biden Files for Divorce as Questions Mount Over Her Father’s Final Days in Office
Ashley Biden, daughter of former President Joe Biden, has filed for divorce from her husband of more than 13 years, Dr. Howard Krein, a prominent plastic surgeon. According to court records obtained from the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia, the 44-year-old submitted the paperwork earlier this week, marking the end of a marriage that had long remained out of the public spotlight.
Though the court documents do not specify a reason for the separation—Philadelphia’s divorce filings are not made public—the timing and public signals from Ashley suggest a major personal turning point. On the same day the paperwork was filed, Ashley shared an Instagram post showing her walking through a park, giving a thumbs up, with Beyoncé’s song “Freedom” playing in the background. She also included a quote: “New life, new beginnings, means new boundaries. New ways of being that won’t look or sound like they did before.”
The post sparked speculation online, though Ashley has not commented publicly on the details of the divorce.
Ashley and Howard Krein were introduced by her late brother, Beau Biden, and married in June 2012 in Greenville, Delaware. Their ceremony, attended by high-profile guests and family, was seen as a heartfelt and relatively private affair, even though her father was Vice President at the time.
Speaking at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Ashley had fondly recalled that day, describing how Joe Biden took on a hands-on role in planning the reception. “He was literally on a John Deere 4-wheeler, setting tables, fixing flowers. And he cried more than anyone there,” she said, eliciting laughter from the crowd.
Now, just a year after sharing that story with the nation, Ashley appears to be entering a new chapter—one marked by solitude and reflection.
At the Same Time, Scrutiny Mounts Over Joe Biden’s Final Months as President
While Ashley Biden’s personal life makes headlines, her father is facing intensified scrutiny of his own. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has raised serious questions regarding the legality of some of Joe Biden’s final actions as president—specifically, the use of the autopen to authorize documents during the final months of his term.
According to Comer, the committee is investigating whether President Biden was mentally fit to approve several pardons and executive orders issued after his widely criticized summer 2024 debate performance. That appearance, which was described as “disjointed” and “confused” by political observers, ultimately led Biden to step down from the Democratic ticket and endorse then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
“The debate opened the floodgates,” Comer told Just the News. “There were already concerns about his mental clarity, but what we’ve uncovered since suggests the president may not have been aware of what he was signing.”
Comer argues that if Biden lacked full cognitive ability to approve documents, those actions could be subject to legal challenge. “It’s not just about using an autopen,” Comer said. “It’s about whether the president had the capacity to make those decisions at all.”
Legal Experts Weigh In
Constitutional scholars have echoed concerns, though they caution that the legal process for undoing executive actions is complex.
Former Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz noted that the Constitution explicitly requires the president to sign bills. “The Constitution says: ‘If he approves, he shall sign it.’ So if someone else signs with an autopen, and the president isn’t cognitively aware, that could be a real issue.”
Pardons, he added, fall into murkier legal territory. “It depends on whether the president himself approved the clemency or whether it was rubber-stamped by aides. That’s a question the courts may ultimately have to decide.”
President Biden, for his part, has defended his use of the autopen and the decisions made during his final months in office. In a July 2025 interview with The New York Times, Biden stated, “I made every decision.” However, aides reportedly admitted that he did not personally approve each individual name under the broad clemency programs announced in his final weeks.
A Family in Transition
The Biden family is no stranger to the public eye, and recent developments show that both personal and political transitions are underway. As Ashley Biden begins life after marriage, her father faces the possibility of having some of his final decisions as president legally challenged.
While it remains to be seen how these investigations will unfold, one thing is clear: the Biden name continues to make headlines—on the campaign trail, in courtrooms, and now, in the family’s personal lives.
For Ashley, however, the message seems simple and clear: freedom, fresh starts, and the strength to draw new boundaries.