Former President Joe Biden was compelled to speak out to shut down conspiracy theories that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer long before last week. "Prior to Friday, President Biden had never been diagnosed with prostate cancer," a spokesperson for Biden said on Tuesday.
The statement also added that the former President had not undergone any testing for prostate issues since 2014. The response from Biden's office came after President Donald Trump, on Monday, repeated conspiracy theories claiming that Biden had known about a prostate cancer diagnosis for years — and that his team hid it as part of a broader effort to hide his declining health during his presidency.
Biden Silences Conspiracy Theories
"I'm surprised that it wasn't, you know, the public wasn't notified a long time ago because to get to stage nine, that's a long time," Trump said. On Sunday, Biden's office announced that the former president is battling an 'aggressive form' of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones.
Following the announcement, he received an outpouring of support, including messages from Trump and the First Lady. "Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden's recent medical diagnosis," Trump posted to Truth Social on Sunday.
He added: "We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery."
However, doubts about the timing of the diagnosis swiftly escalated, given that Biden, as president, was probably regularly tested for indicators linked to prostate cancer.
Presidents undergo comprehensive annual physical exams while in office.
For someone of Biden's age, this would likely involve a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test, which checks the amount of PSA in the blood. Elevated levels of this marker can suggest prostate cancer or other prostate-related issues.
Biden's White House physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor wrote in a statement after a check-up in February 2024: "The President feels well and this year's physical identified no new concerns. He continues to be fit for duty and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations."
His office said on Tuesday: "President Biden's last known PSA was in 2014."
Jill Biden's Role Being Questioned
Moreover, the president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., also fueled the conspiracy theories, joined by other members of the online MAGA community who began raising questions on a possible cover-up.
"What I want to know is how did Dr. Jill Biden miss stage five metastatic cancer or is this yet another cover-up???" Trump Jr. wrote of the former president's wife.
Dr. Biden, the former first lady, is not a physician; she holds a Ph.D. in education.
After boasting on Monday about passing his own physical exam — including taking a cognitive test —Trump implied that something was wrong with Biden's White House doctor. "I think that if you look, it's the same doctor that said that Joe was cognitively fine. There was nothing wrong with him,' Trump said. 'Maybe it was the same doctor, and somebody is not telling the facts."
He said that he had felt "badly" about the diagnosis but added, "I think people should try and find out what happened."
Prostate cancers are given a 'Gleason score' that evaluates how much the cancer cells differ from healthy cells. Biden's score of 9 indicates that his cancer is very advanced and aggressive.
Biden's office said, "While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management."
