Following the shocking announcement of President Joe Biden’s aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis, former President Barack Obama has extended his heartfelt sympathies—despite recent tensions between the two men.
Biden, 82, is battling a severe and fast-spreading form of prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones, just days after it was reported that a “small nodule” on his prostate required further evaluation. The diagnosis—confirmed with a Gleason score of 9, indicating the most aggressive form of the disease—has stirred deep concern across the political spectrum.
Barack Obama, who recently supported the Democratic Party’s transition away from Biden as its 2024 nominee, took to social media to express his support:
“Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family,” Obama wrote on X. “Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace. We pray for a fast and full recovery.”
The message comes at a time of visible strain between the two political giants. Reports indicate Biden felt “deeply betrayed” by Obama’s quiet support for finding a replacement nominee following Biden’s troubled debate performance against Donald Trump in June 2024.
Michelle Obama, who has been noticeably distant from Biden during key moments of his presidency, reposted her husband’s message but added no personal comment—fueling speculation about her ongoing unease with the Bidens. Sources claim that Michelle harbored frustration over how her close friend and Hunter Biden’s ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle, was treated during a highly publicized family split.
Despite Obama’s public praise for Biden at the Democratic National Convention—calling him his “brother”—Michelle pointedly did not mention Biden in her own 23-minute speech. Insiders allege she refused to appear at the event while Biden remained the nominee.
President Biden’s battle with cancer is sadly not new terrain. He previously underwent Mohs surgery for skin cancer and lost his son Beau Biden to brain cancer in 2015—an event he attributed to exposure to military burn pits. These experiences spurred Biden to spearhead the Cancer Moonshot initiative, both during his vice presidency and again in 2022, aiming to halve the cancer death rate by 2047.
Vice President Kamala Harris also issued a statement, saying:
“Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis. We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers… Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership.”
However, critics questioned the sincerity of her remarks, pointing to the tense fallout after Biden endorsed Harris as his successor—only to watch her lose to Trump in a landslide defeat. Some Democratic insiders accused Biden of hanging on too long, weakening Harris’s chances and draining campaign resources.
“It’s almost Shakespearean,” a Harris campaign adviser told the Washington Post. “Biden didn’t just kill his own campaign—he killed hers, too.”
While Harris posted her support online, speculation swirled about whether she ever reached out privately. One critic commented sharply, “You stabbed this man in the back and then threw him to the wolves.”
Meanwhile, political opponents have responded with surprising grace. Even Republican firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene shared her condolences, writing, “Cancer is truly awful. My dad passed away in 2021 from cancer. Prayers for Joe Biden and his family.”
Former President Donald Trump also offered a respectful statement on Truth Social:
“Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
Trump’s son, Donald Jr., echoed the sentiment on Instagram, adding, “Politics aside, we wish him a speedy recovery.”
Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, left office amid mounting concerns over his cognitive health. His limited public appearances, along with an upcoming exposé titled Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson, have only intensified scrutiny.
As the political world grapples with the implications of Biden’s diagnosis, tributes continue to pour in—but so do reflections on a presidency marked by both service and controversy, compassion and conflict.
