The Wall Street Journal called on former President Biden, now 82 years old, to disclose his disease history to the public after he announced on Sunday that he has stage 4 prostate cancer.
The announcement quickly led to multiple world leaders, including President Donald Trump, to state their support for Biden and his family and to wish for the former president’s speedy recovery. But Biden’s announcement has also led to confusion and speculation from journalists and the public over the president’s disease history, including how long the Biden family has known about his diagnosis.
“President Biden’s announcement Sunday that he has stage 4 prostate cancer, which has spread to his bones, is a sad moment for the country, and we wish him and his family the best for treatment and prognosis,” The Wall Street Journal editorial board wrote Tuesday. “But Mr. Biden owes the public more information, given that he left office only 120 days ago, after telling voters he was fit to stay through 2029 and age 86.”
The Wall Street Journal called on former President Biden, now 82 years old, to disclose his disease history to the public after he announced on Sunday that he has stage 4 prostate cancer. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
“A spokesperson told the press Tuesday that Mr. Biden’s last known PSA blood test, which screens for prostate specific antigen, was in 2014,” the editorial board continued, referring to a statement widely shared from Biden’s press office.
The PSA test is a blood test used primarily to screen for prostate cancer. The test measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The editorial board pointed out that while some men do miss the symptoms of prostate cancer, Biden was campaigning for re-election, meaning that he would have stayed in office for another four years.
“Had he remained in the race and won, the country would now be contemplating a President Kamala Harris without having had the election choice,” The Wall Street Journal said. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
“Had he remained in the race and won, the country would now be contemplating a President Kamala Harris without having had the election choice,” The Wall Street Journal wrote.
“There is a long record of Presidents who concealed their ailments, from Grover Cleveland’s secret cancer surgery, to Woodrow Wilson’s incapacity after his stroke, to John F. Kennedy’s Addison’s disease,” the editorial board wrote. “Mr. Biden’s White House hid the extent of his age-related decline until his June 27, 2024, debate performance made it obvious to voters. That’s bad enough, and it has raised suspicions. Though he’s no longer in office, the public-spirited thing for Mr. Biden to do is to clarify the details of his disease history and PSA choices.”
Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
