Hunter Biden shared a troubling update on his father’s health during an interview with the BBC on Friday. He said the cancer is no longer contained and has moved into the former president’s bones, describing the condition as painful and limiting, according to the New York Post.
The 56-year-old did not hold back when describing what the disease has done to his father physically. He said the pain is real and that it has affected the elder Biden in ways that go well beyond typical wear and tear.
Still Showing Up, Despite the Diagnosis
Even with an aggressive form of cancer working against him, the former president has kept a foot in public life. He appeared alongside Maryland Democrats in late June at a fundraising gala outside Baltimore. Just weeks earlier, he showed up for the opening of the Obama Presidential Library in Chicago.
That Chicago appearance drew attention for a different reason. After stepping up to a lectern, Biden asked where his granddaughter was, a moment that generated headlines of its own, as previously reported by the New York Post.
His continued presence on the political stage comes even as the fallout from his disastrous 2024 debate performance still ripples through the Democratic Party. That debate ultimately pushed him off the ticket, and several longtime party figures have since lost their seats to newer challengers.
A Son’s Difficult Perspective
Hunter Biden described his father as someone who still tries to stay engaged, noting that he remains “out there” from time to time because of how deeply he believes in the country. But behind that public resilience, Hunter painted a more sobering picture.
He admitted it has been hard to witness his father’s decline up close. In fact, he said he almost wishes his dad would voice more discomfort, because the reality of his condition is worse than what shows on the surface.
Away from the health news, the elder Biden is reportedly still working on his memoir, titled “Promise Me, America.” Its release is expected sometime after this year’s midterm elections.
Hunter Biden himself has become more visible lately too, regularly posting on X and stepping in at times to defend his father’s political record.
Jill Biden Noticed Warning Signs Earlier
The former first lady has also spoken publicly about early signs that something was wrong. In an interview with Kelly Ripa, Jill Biden recalled noticing her husband getting up to use the bathroom as often as seven times a night while they were still living in the White House.
She said she raised the issue with White House physicians at the time and believed it had been handled. But the symptom didn’t go away after the couple left the White House in January 2025.
“But when it continued when we got out of the White House, I said, ‘Joe, we’ve got to go up to Jeff in Philly, something’s wrong’,” she told Ripa on the SiriusXM show “Let’s Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa”.
Diagnosis and Treatment Timeline
Biden’s team announced the cancer diagnosis in May 2025, describing it as an aggressive form of prostate cancer. The announcement followed urinary symptoms that led doctors to find a nodule on his prostate.
By last October, his office confirmed he had begun radiation therapy along with hormone treatment to manage the disease.