After helping to end Joe Biden’s bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, Barack Obama has now extended a heartfelt message of support following Biden’s devastating prostate cancer diagnosis.
At 82, Biden faces one of the toughest battles of his life, but Obama, joining a chorus of bipartisan voices, expressed deep sympathy and admiration for his longtime colleague.
“Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family,” Obama wrote on X.
“No one has done more to advance breakthrough cancer treatments than Joe, and I am confident he will confront this challenge with the same resolve and grace we’ve always known. We pray for a swift and full recovery.”
The news hit just hours after Biden’s office revealed he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer — one that has already spread to his bones.
This disclosure came barely a week after reports surfaced of a small nodule on Biden’s prostate requiring further evaluation. His office confirmed that last week, following worsening urinary symptoms, Biden was diagnosed with prostate cancer characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5), indicating one of the most aggressive forms of the disease, now metastatic.
Despite the severity, doctors believe the cancer is hormone-sensitive and potentially treatable through multiple therapies.
Biden’s history with cancer is personal and profound. Before his presidency, he underwent Mohs surgery to remove numerous non-melanoma skin cancers and had a malignant tumor removed from his chest in early 2023. The tragic loss of his son Beau in 2015, to glioblastoma multiforme brain cancer—believed linked to military burn pits during his Iraq service—has deeply shaped Biden’s commitment to fighting cancer.
As Vice President, Biden originally spearheaded the Cancer Moonshot initiative under Obama’s administration, a program reignited in 2022 with the ambitious goal of halving cancer death rates by 2047.
Obama’s tribute to Biden’s tireless dedication to cancer research echoes the deep bond they shared, despite recent political strains. After Biden was forced to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race—amid whispers of Obama quietly supporting Biden’s successor—the relationship between the two men grew complicated.
Michelle Obama quietly reposted Barack’s message but offered no public words of support. Rumors of tension between the Obamas and Bidens have long simmered, fueled by political disagreements and personal grievances, including Michelle’s reportedly strained relationship with Hunter Biden’s ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle.
While Barack publicly praised Biden as his “brother” at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Michelle notably avoided mentioning Biden at all during her rousing speech—a decision insiders say reflected deeper divisions.
Meanwhile, Kamala Harris, Biden’s successor and perceived rival, issued a measured statement expressing hope and prayers for a full recovery, alongside her husband Doug, who later shared a heartfelt photo with Biden on social media.
Behind the scenes, Biden’s allies have begun to openly acknowledge that his 2024 bid may have been ill-advised. Some blame aides who shielded him from public scrutiny, while others argue that a longer campaign for Harris might have altered the election’s outcome. The painful reality: Trump defeated Harris decisively in both the electoral college and popular vote.
Criticism has also come from unexpected corners, with some accusing Harris’s public empathy for Biden as performative, underscoring the tangled web of politics and personal loyalties.
Even Biden’s harshest critics—such as former President Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene—have expressed sympathy for his diagnosis. Trump offered warm wishes on Truth Social, while Greene shared personal condolences recalling her own father’s battle with cancer.
Biden’s presidency, marked by his status as the oldest U.S. president in history, was shadowed by persistent doubts about his cognitive fitness—doubts relentlessly exploited by political opponents. Nicknamed “Sleepy Joe” by Trump, Biden faced accusations of being controlled by aides, a narrative that has continued in media reports.
Just weeks before his diagnosis, Biden appeared alongside Jill Biden on The View and gave a commemorative interview on BBC, projecting vigor despite underlying health concerns.
Now, a forthcoming book by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’s Alex Thompson titled Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again promises to reveal the stark realities behind Biden’s health and the White House’s attempts to conceal his cognitive decline.
As Biden confronts this new medical battle, the nation watches closely, hoping the resilient former president can overcome yet another formidable challenge.
