People who have spent time with President Joe Biden recently say he isn’t quite the same public optimist he once was about America’s trajectory. Friends, longtime allies, and elected officials describe a man who still cares deeply about the country, but who has become more reflective and at times visibly concerned about where things are headed under the current Trump administration.

Several individuals who’ve spoken with him over the past year told CNN that Biden has occasionally ended conversations with a quiet, searching question: whether the country can truly recover from this political moment. It’s a stark contrast to the forward-looking tone that defined much of his presidency.

Now 83, Biden is adjusting to life after the White House while watching his successor repeatedly blame him for ongoing economic frustrations, including voter anger over the cost of living. President Trump has also continued to take personal swipes, reviving familiar nicknames and symbolic gestures clearly meant to diminish his predecessor.

Privately, those close to Biden say he wrestles with a complicated mix of disbelief and heartbreak particularly over concerns that his record in office could be overshadowed or reframed by today’s political climate. Some Democrats, too, have engaged in second-guessing, debating strategic decisions made during his presidency and whether different choices might have altered the current landscape.

One family friend, speaking anonymously to CNN, described a feeling that Biden’s legacy never fully had the chance to settle into place. “It’s like the record skipped a track,” the person said, suggesting that the transition between administrations disrupted the broader narrative of his time in office.

Despite health challenges, including treatment for prostate cancer, Biden has remained active behind the scenes. Those around him say he responded well to his initial course of treatment, though radiation has required recovery time. Even so, he continues to host small dinners, take calls, and meet privately with former aides and rising Democratic leaders.

In recent months, he has spoken with California Governor Gavin Newsom and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, both seen as influential voices in the party’s future. He called Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger before and after her State of the Union response to offer encouragement and praise, and reached out to Senator Alex Padilla ahead of his Spanish-language address with similar advice: speak authentically and from the heart.

While some Democratic leaders have publicly expressed appreciation for Biden’s service, he is not expected to take on a prominent campaign role in the upcoming midterms. For now, his influence appears to be quieter focused more on mentorship and private counsel than on rallies or headline speeches.

Those who know him best say that even amid disappointment and uncertainty, his commitment to public service and to the Democratic Party’s future remains unchanged.