Former US President Joe Biden has said that the January 6, attack on the US Capitol will follow Donald Trump to his grave, accusing his successor of undermining American democracy and damaging democratic institutions.The first excerpt of the memoir was published by The Atlantic on Monday. The book is scheduled for release on November 17.“Donald Trump led an insurrection,” Biden wrote, referring to the attack by Trump’s supporters as Congress met to certify Biden’s 2020 election victory.Rejecting the description of the rioters as peaceful protesters, Biden said they had come armed to stop the certification of a legitimate election.“What Trump did on January 6, 2021, should never be forgotten. It should follow him to his grave,” he wrote.Biden also accused Trump of undermining his administration’s achievements, particularly policies aimed at tackling climate change, and criticised his Department of Government Efficiency.“In my case, that feeling was magnified by the dismissive and destructive nature of Donald Trump, who seemed unable to tolerate the idea that someone else’s accomplishments might be worth building on rather than tearing down,” Biden wrote.Biden reflects on presidency and healthBiden also defended his four-year presidency, which was marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, economic concerns and questions about his age and fitness for office.He abandoned his re-election bid after a poor debate performance against Trump in June 2024. His vice-president, Kamala Harris, subsequently lost the November election to Trump.In a social media post on Sunday, Biden said the book would explain the challenges he faced and the decisions he made as president.Biden, who announced his prostate cancer diagnosis months after leaving office, said his health would limit his promotional activities.His doctors remain encouraged by his response to treatment, he said, adding: “Some days are better than others. It hasn’t stopped me. But sometimes it slows me down.”Biden recalls cordial meeting with TrumpBiden also recounted an Oval Office meeting with Trump days after the 2020 election, when the latter reportedly told him: “You know, Joe, if it weren’t for politics, I believe we’d be good friends.”Biden said he briefed Trump on the Russia-Ukraine war, Nato, Israel and Gaza, and US-China relations. However, he felt Trump was more interested in the personalities of world leaders than international affairs.The meeting left Biden worried that Trump would dismantle his administration’s achievements. He said Trump’s early executive orders after returning to office confirmed those concerns.The memoir’s title echoes Biden’s earlier book, Promise Me, Dad, which chronicled his son Beau’s battle with cancer and death in 2015.In Sunday’s post, Biden reiterated his belief that America was “built on an idea” that “all of us are created equal”.“Promise me, America,” he concluded, “that we’ll never forget it.”