Hunter Biden Attributes Former President’s 2024 Debate Struggles to Undiagnosed Cancer
Hunter Biden stated on a podcast episode published this week that he believes his father, former President Joseph R. Biden Jr., was unknowingly suffering from cancer during the June 2024 presidential debate that ultimately ended his re-election campaign. Speaking on the “Macrodosing” podcast, Hunter Biden recalled that his father “looked blank,” adding that the family did not discover until nine months later that the then-president was suffering from Stage 4 prostate cancer and Stage 4 metastatic bone cancer, which had reportedly been metastasizing for over a three-year period. Mr. Biden, 83, was formally diagnosed in May 2025 with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that spread to his bones, alongside previous treatments for skin cancer lesions and radiation therapy.
Medical Experts Question Link Between Debate Performance and Later Cancer Diagnosis
Medical professionals who were not involved in the former president’s care have noted that prostate cancer is typically a slow-growing disease that can be present for years prior to diagnosis, making it unlikely to have caused the cognitive struggles seen during the debate. Dr. Paul Monk, a medical oncologist at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, described the situation as “a classic example of association, not necessarily causation,” explaining that while advanced prostate cancer commonly spreads to bones, it is rare for it to spread to the brain to trigger cognitive issues. Dr. Paul Nguyen of the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute echoed this assessment, stating it was “extremely unlikely” that prostate cancer was responsible for the poor debate performance since the disease generally does not metastasize to the brain.
A Multitude of Public Explanations Offered for Debate Struggles
The remarks from Hunter Biden—who made the statements during a wider media tour that included interviews with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Candace Owens, and the “Friends Keep Secrets” show—represent at least the half-dozen public explanation regarding the former president’s debate performance. Immediately following the June 2024 event, which featured confusing comments and lost train of thought, the president blamed a “bad cold,” distraction, and the difficulty of debating a liar. Subsequent explanations included traveling too much before the event, nearly falling asleep onstage, and potential impacts from the prescription sleep aid Ambien. Additionally, former first lady Jill Biden stated during a spring book tour interview with CBS News that she initially thought her husband was “having a stroke” while watching the debate.
Aftermath of the Campaign and Current Status of Former Officials
The disastrous debate performance catalyzed a sharp shift in public polling and a cascade of calls from Democrats for Mr. Biden to drop out of the race, leading him to bow out in late July 2024. Delegates to the Democratic National Convention subsequently selected Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him on the ticket, though she ultimately lost the general election to Donald J. Trump. Former President Biden has since appeared at a handful of political events, divides his time in Delaware and traveling via Amtrak to Washington, and has authored a memoir slated for release in November, two weeks after the midterm elections. Meanwhile, T.J. Ducklo did not respond to messages, and Hunter Biden declined to elaborate further during a brief Friday phone interview, stating, “I’m not going to comment. I said what I said.”
