Camilla Jessen
After initially offering sympathy, Donald Trump cast doubt on the timing of Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis.
President Donald Trump has joined his son and other political allies in casting suspicion on the timing of Joe Biden’s recent cancer diagnosis, suggesting — without evidence — that the White House may have withheld key medical information from the public.
Speaking at a BBC press conference on Monday, Trump questioned why Americans are only now learning that Biden is battling an aggressive form of prostate cancer, which has spread to his bones.
I think to get to stage 9, I think that, if you look, it’s the same doctor who 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.
Though there is no such thing as “stage 9 cancer” — Biden’s diagnosis is medically described as having a Gleason score of 9, which is part of a grading system specific to prostate cancer — Trump’s statement have reignited conspiracy theories questioning whether Biden’s condition had been kept hidden for political reasons.
“Another Coverup”?
The president’s comments echoed earlier speculation from his son, Donald Trump Jr., who reposted a message over the weekend that questioned how First Lady Dr. Jill Biden — an educator — could have missed the signs of such a serious illness.
He implied it might be “yet another coverup.”
The idea that Biden’s diagnosis was somehow delayed or concealed quickly gained traction among right-wing commentators and social media personalities, despite no evidence supporting the claim.
Cancer May Have Been Years in the Making
Speaking to NewsNation, Urologist Dr. David Shusterman noted that metastatic prostate cancer can develop slowly and might not produce symptoms until it has already spread.
However, he emphasized that Biden had access to world-class medical care and would have been closely monitored during his presidency.
“This is what I typically would see in a VA hospital,” Shusterman said, “where a patient hasn’t had medical attention in 10 years.”
In contrast, Biden received regular health evaluations, making it unlikely that such a condition would go unnoticed for long without a deliberate cover-up.
Trump Shifts Tone
Despite calling the situation “very sad,” Trump used the moment to draw a contrast between Biden’s health and his own.
“I underwent a comprehensive physical, including cognitive tests. I’m proud to announce I aced it. I got them all right,” Trump said.
“If I didn’t get them all right, these people would be after me. It wouldn’t be a good situation,” he added, gesturing toward reporters.
He went further by suggesting mandatory cognitive testing for all presidential candidates — a not-so-subtle reference to Biden’s past public scrutiny over mental sharpness, and a recurring talking point during the 2024 campaign.
Public Response
Medical professionals and fact-checkers were quick to correct Trump’s “stage 9” reference, clarifying that stage classifications in cancer typically range from stage 1 to 4, and that the Gleason score of 9 is not equivalent to an advanced cancer “stage” in the traditional sense.
Biden’s diagnosis was described by his team as hormone-sensitive, which means that with proper treatment, patients can often live for many years, even with bone metastases.