Ashley Biden’s marriage to Dr. Howard Krein crumbled this week, with divorce papers filed in Philadelphia.
The 44-year-old daughter of Jill and Joe Biden is walking away from her 59-year-old plastic surgeon husband after 13 years. This isn’t just a personal split; it’s a public spectacle, complete with catty social media posts, the Daily Mail reported.
Ashley, a social worker with a Master’s from the University of Pennsylvania, married Krein, an otolaryngologist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, in 2012 after meeting through her late brother, Beau, in 2010. The couple tied the knot in Greenville, Delaware, at the church where Ashley was baptized, with Joe Biden personally setting up their reception. That folksy charm doesn’t seem to have lasted.
The pair lived in a $1.3 million Philadelphia home, but their union hit the rocks by August 11, 2025. Ashley’s Instagram activity suggests she’s embracing the split with a mix of defiance and drama. Her posts, dripping with pop culture references, hint at a woman ready to redefine herself—on her terms.
Shortly after filing, Ashley shared a now-deleted Instagram story of herself strolling through a park, set to Beyoncé’s “Freedom.” The song choice screams liberation, but it’s hard to see this as anything but a calculated jab at her soon-to-be ex. Subtlety isn’t her style here.
She doubled down by reposting a quote: “New life, means new boundaries,” paired with Lauryn Hill’s “Freedom Time.” This isn’t just a divorce; it’s a public rebranding, cloaked in the language of empowerment. The woke undertones feel like a nod to the progressive crowd, but they ring hollow against her family’s political baggage.
Ashley’s social media antics aren’t new. In June 2025, she posted a beach photo with her parents, fiercely defending Joe Biden against claims of cognitive decline. “The ONLY coverup of this family is a BEACH coverup !!!” she wrote, dismissing critics as purveyors of “fake news.”
Her June Instagram rant continued: “The truth is, Dad gave his ALL to America.” Ashley’s loyalty to Joe is unwavering, but her outrage at media scrutiny feels like a distraction from her own unraveling personal life. The timing of her divorce filing suggests deeper tensions bubbling beneath the surface.
She also claimed Joe “NEVER gave up on you” and was “MORE than capable” despite aging under presidential stress. It’s a touching defense, but it sidesteps the real questions about transparency raised by CNN’s Jake Tapper in June 2025. Tapper’s segment, tied to his book *Original Sin*, questioned Joe’s health disclosures—hardly “fake news.”
Ashley’s Instagram concluded with gratitude for “love and support” amid the noise. Yet her selective outrage ignores the legitimate concerns Tapper raised. Defending her father while her marriage falls apart paints a picture of a woman juggling public loyalty and private chaos.
Back in 2012, Joe Biden played wedding planner, zipping around on a John Deere 4-wheeler to arrange plants and place settings at his Wilmington estate. Ashley recalled at the 2024 Democratic National Convention: “He was very emotional.” That image of a hands-on dad clashes with the family’s current turmoil.
At the 2024 DNC, Ashley spoke fondly of her father’s role in her wedding, saying he “set up the entire reception.” It’s a warm anecdote, but it feels like a lifetime ago now. The Biden family’s public unity is fraying, and Ashley’s divorce is the latest crack.
Ashley and Krein were last seen together in the Oval Office in June 2024, when Joe announced he wouldn’t seek re-election. That moment of political retreat now mirrors Ashley’s personal one. The Bidens can’t seem to escape the spotlight, even when they try.
The divorce filing comes just months after Ashley’s public defense of her father’s health. Was the marriage crumbling even as she posted beachside family photos? The optics suggest a carefully curated facade, now shattered by legal documents.
Ashley’s Instagram quote about “new boundaries” and “new ways of being” reads like a manifesto for moving on. But wrapping it in Lauryn Hill lyrics doesn’t erase the messiness of a high-profile split. It’s less about empowerment and more about deflecting scrutiny.
The Biden family’s knack for drama continues, with Ashley’s divorce adding fuel to an already polarized narrative. Her social media shade might play well with the progressive crowd, but it’s a risky move when conservative critics are watching. This is one breakup that won’t stay private.
