WASHINGTON: Former US President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has spread beyond his bones and is causing him significant pain, his son Hunter Biden said in a BBC interview.
“The cancer has spread, metastasised into his bones and further,” Hunter Biden told the BBC’s Newsnight.
“It’s very painful, and it’s very debilitating in many respects,” he said, becoming emotional as he discussed his 83-year-old father’s condition.
A spokesman for Biden declined to comment on the interview on Saturday.
Hunter Biden said the illness had been difficult for the family to watch. “It’s really, really hard, and it’s really sad to watch,” he said.
He added that his father remained active and continued to speak publicly about issues important to him.
“He’s still doing his thing,” Hunter Biden said. “He so believes in this country.”
“I wish he would complain more, because it’s not good – the cancer has spread”
Hunter Biden discusses the health of his father, former US President Joe Biden. #Newsnight pic.twitter.com/QwNYjfithd
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) August 7, 2026
Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis
Biden revealed in May 2025, less than four months after leaving the White House, that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had already spread to his bones.
He subsequently underwent radiation and hormone therapy.
Last month, while announcing his forthcoming memoir, Biden said his treatment was going “really well”.
His son’s latest comments indicate that the cancer has since spread beyond the bones, although Biden’s spokesman did not comment on the claim and no further medical details were provided in the interview.
Biden’s health was closely scrutinised during his four years in the White House, particularly in the final months of his presidency.
Concerns intensified after his poor performance in a June 2024 presidential debate against Donald Trump.
Also Read: Joe Biden Completes Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer, Says He’s “Feeling Good”
Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race following pressure from fellow Democrats, and Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee.
Trump went on to defeat Harris in the November election.
Biden, who served as president from 2021 to 2025, was the oldest person to serve as US president. His age and fitness for office became a major political issue during his presidency.
He and his White House advisers also faced criticism from opponents who accused them of concealing the extent of his health and cognitive difficulties.
Biden remains active in public life
Despite his illness, Biden has continued to make public appearances and speak on political and national issues.
He attended the dedication of former President Barack Obama’s presidential library in Chicago in June.
Hunter Biden said his father remained committed to the country despite his illness.
Biden is also preparing to publish a presidential memoir, Promise Me, America, after the US midterm elections.
The book is scheduled for release on November 17.
Biden was elected president in 2020 and served from 2021 to 2025. Before becoming president, he served as Obama’s vice president from 2009 to 2017.
