Biden says he wouldn't have run for a second term in 2024 if he knew he had cancer
Joe Biden says he did not know he had cancer during his presidency and would not have pursued a 2024 reelection if diagnosed, framing the illness as a potential disqualifier for an elderly leader. He cites a June 2024 debate as not being the catalytic moment it appeared, and notes that he still ended his campaign weeks later and endorsed Kamala Harris, who then lost to Trump. He reveals that metastatic prostate cancer was diagnosed months after leaving office in 2025. He defends his record on aging and insists he was the best-equipped commander in chief, while addressing Hunter Biden’s public activities and the controversial pardon decision as part of his broader stance on political threats. The interview sets the stage for his memoir, underscoring themes of health, leadership, and family dynamics shaping his final years in public life.
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In an interview with People magazine ahead of his White House memoir release, Biden says he would not have run for a second term if he had known he was ill with cancer.
He indicates he was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer months after leaving office in 2025, framing the illness as a barrier to an 80-year-old president.
Biden contends the June 2024 debate, which he describes as not being seismic, did raise concerns about age but did not derail his assessment of his capabilities at the time.
Weeks after the debate, he ended his campaign and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who secured the nomination but lost to Trump in the general election.
He defends his ability to perform presidential duties while in office and argues that age alone is not disqualifying, emphasizing experience and relationships with world leaders as assets.
Hunter Biden's public actions, including a BBC interview about his father’s cancer pain and the pardoning of Hunter after convictions, are addressed in the context of defending his legacy against political attacks.
Biden characterizes the pardon as a necessary measure to counter what he sees as vendetta-driven attacks led by Trump, and expresses pride in his son, describing him as one of the brightest people he knows.