Former President Joe Biden says he would have abandoned his 2024 reelection campaign if he had known he had prostate cancer, a disease he maintains was not diagnosed until after he left the White House.
In an interview with People magazine published Wednesday, November 11, 2026, and reported by the EFE news agency, the 83-year-old former president acknowledged that knowing about his illness would have changed his decision to seek a second term.
Biden explained that he would have resigned from the presidency and ended his reelection bid if he had known his physical discomfort was caused by cancer. He added that he did not believe a man in his 80s with cancer should be running for president.
The former Democratic president maintained that he did not know he had prostate cancer while serving in the White House and believed he was physically and mentally capable of continuing to lead the country.
Biden said he considered himself «the best-equipped person to do the job,» despite mounting concerns about his age and ability to endure another presidential campaign.
He withdrew from the 2024 presidential race in July following increasing pressure from Democratic lawmakers and party leaders concerned about his age and campaign performance.
After leaving the race, Biden endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who subsequently secured the Democratic nomination but lost the presidential election to Republican Donald Trump.
One of the defining moments of Biden's reelection campaign was the June 2024 presidential debate, when he struggled to articulate his responses during a televised confrontation with Trump.
His performance intensified questions about his health and ability to serve another term, prompting growing calls for him to withdraw from the Democratic presidential race.
However, Biden downplayed the significance of the debate during his latest interview, maintaining that he did not consider his performance particularly consequential.
He argued that mistakes are common in presidential debates and explained that he had expected another opportunity to debate Trump before the November election.
According to EFE and People, Biden has stage 4 prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. He has completed radiation therapy and continues receiving hormone treatment.
The former president said recent medical tests showed no additional spread beyond the areas already affected by the cancer. He also described his outlook positively and maintained that he continues to feel capable of carrying out his daily activities.
«I'm not saying I'll live forever,» Biden acknowledged, before emphasizing that he still has his faculties, can participate in familiar activities, and feels well.
He also acknowledged that his illness has affected his ability to travel and will limit the number of appearances he can make to promote his upcoming memoir.
Biden's comments come ahead of the publication of his presidential memoir, Promise Me, America, scheduled for November 17, 2026.
In the book and his interview, the former president reflects on his political career and rejects suggestions that he deliberately concealed his cancer while serving in the White House.
Biden maintains that he learned of the diagnosis in May 2025, after leaving office, and that his administration followed standard medical screening guidelines. He insists that he had no confirmed cancer diagnosis when he decided to seek reelection.
His statements provide new insight into how he views his decision to run for another term and ultimately withdraw from the 2024 race, while maintaining that he was unaware of his illness at the time.
YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN: Trump Proposes Stricter Unemployment Benefits Rules Requiring Five Weekly Job Search Activities
