The short version
- Joe Biden states he would not have sought reelection in 2024 had he known he was suffering from cancer at the time.
- The former president defends his performance and fitness for office, arguing that age provided valuable experience rather than disqualification.
- Biden justifies pardoning Hunter Biden as a necessary protection against potential retribution from Donald Trump following the election.
Joe Biden has stated that he was unaware of his cancer diagnosis while serving as president and asserts that this knowledge would have prevented him from seeking a second term in 2024. The former president made these remarks in an interview with People magazine, conducted ahead of the release of his White House memoir. He emphasized that if he had realized his poor physical condition was due to cancer, he would not have proceeded with his reelection bid.
Biden was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer several months after leaving office in 2025. Despite this late diagnosis, he maintains that he did not know about the illness during his time in the White House. He argued that an eighty-year-old man with cancer should not be running for president, suggesting that such a health condition would have been a disqualifying factor had it been known earlier.
The former president also addressed the June 2024 debate against Donald Trump, which many observers cited as a turning point in the election. Biden downplayed the significance of that event, noting that he expected another debate to occur before the general election. He claimed the performance did not disturb him because it was not consequential, even though it accelerated concerns among Democrats regarding his age and ability to defeat his Republican opponent.
Within weeks of the debate, Biden announced the end of his campaign and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. She secured the Democratic nomination but ultimately lost to Trump in the general election. Biden insisted that he was fully capable of performing his duties while in office, arguing that age itself is not a disqualifier. He suggested that his years of experience and deep personal relationships with world leaders made him well-equipped for the role.
Hunter Biden has provided a contrasting perspective on his father's health since the diagnosis. In August, Hunter told the BBC that the cancer had spread and was causing significant pain. He described the condition as very painful and debilitating in many respects. This account highlights the severity of the illness that Joe Biden claims he was unaware of during his presidency.
Since leaving office, Hunter Biden has become a more prominent public figure. He has engaged in disputes with Republicans on social media, shared lengthy reflections on the nation's direction, and launched a cryptocurrency venture. Joe Biden defended his son's public persona and his decision to pardon him after Hunter was convicted on federal felony gun charges and pleaded guilty to federal tax charges in 2024.
Hunter Biden has stated that the pardon damaged his father's legacy. However, Joe Biden argued that the action was necessary due to Donald Trump's tendency toward vengeance. He expressed concern that without the pardon, Trump would have sought to harm anyone who had dealt with him, including family members. Biden described Hunter as one of the brightest men he knows and expressed pride in his son.
The former president's comments come as he turns 84 on November 20. His memoir also includes assertions that Trump should carry the weight of the January 6 riots to his grave. These statements reflect a continued engagement with political narratives despite his departure from office. The divergence between Biden's assessment of his fitness and his son's description of his current health underscores the complexity of evaluating presidential capability in the face of late-diagnosed illness.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- PBS NewsHour↗Biden says he wouldn't have run for a second term in 2024 if he knew he had cancer
