Full Breakdown
Hunter Biden Reveals Progression of Former President Joe Biden’s Prostate Cancer and Reflects on the 2024 Pardon
8/8/2026, 10:15:37 PM
Core Update on the President’s Health
In a BBC *Newsnight* interview aired on August 7, Hunter Biden said his father’s prostate cancer, announced in May 2025, has spread to the bones and is “very painful” and “very debilitating.” He added that, despite the spread, Joe Biden, 83, remains active in public life, “still doing his thing” and “believes in this country.”
Background & Context
The May 2025 announcement described the disease as an aggressive, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer with a Gleason score of 9 and bone metastases. Treatment began with radiation and hormone therapy in October 2025. In December 2024, President Biden issued a full pardon covering Hunter’s federal gun conviction and a tax-evasion case.
Timeline
- December 2024 – Full pardon granted to Hunter Biden.
- May 2025 – Prostate cancer diagnosis announced.
- October 2025 – Radiation and hormone therapy start.
- June 27 2025 – Biden’s last major public appearance, Maryland Democratic Party Gala.
- August 7 2025 – Hunter’s BBC interview reveals cancer spread and discusses the pardon.
Data & Statistics
- Age: 83
- Stage: 4 (metastatic)
- Gleason score: 9 (Grade Group 5)
- Metastasis: Bones and additional sites (unspecified)
- Treatment: Radiation and hormone-directed therapy, described as “effective management” by the president’s office.
Official Statements & Responses
- The Biden family’s May 2025 statement called the disease “hormone-sensitive, allowing effective management.”
- Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, University of Pennsylvania oncologist, said the cancer likely existed before the presidency and is “stage 4, aggressive, hormone-sensitive.”
- Hunter Biden expressed “eternal gratitude” for the pardon but noted it was “not good” for the nation and his father’s legacy.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It's really, really hard, and it's really sad to watch... I wish he would complain more, because it's not good,” — Hunter Biden
- “I think if he had just been diagnosed with prostate cancer, that’s one thing, because that can be cured, but the fact that it metastasized to his bones, that makes it a whole different story,” — Dr. Jill Biden
Why It Matters
The update highlights the shift from a potentially curable condition to chronic management, affecting the former president’s ability to travel, speak publicly, and work on memoirs. The discussion of the 2024 pardon also raises questions about the use of executive clemency for personal matters.
