Joe Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis has prompted ex-aides to suspect a cover-up aimed at avoiding political damage before elections.
News of former President Joe Biden’s stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis continues to make headlines.
Some of his longtime aides are shocked and concerned about how late the illness was detected.
Several former staffers who worked closely with Biden during his presidency now wonder if earlier intervention was purposely avoided.
They suspect it was to protect him and the administration from political fallout.
“I do believe that they felt like something was going on, and were worried about it and kind of hedged around it for a little bit,” said one White House staffer who worked in close proximity to Biden, 82.
Suspicions emerge over delayed medical action
Some former aides think signs of Biden’s illness appeared during his presidency but were ignored or minimized to avoid harming his 2024 election chances.
A former staffer close to Biden said concerns circulated behind the scenes well before the official diagnosis was announced.
“There were definitely whispers and some worry,” the staffer said.
“I think they suspected something was wrong but avoided pushing for tests, probably because of the optics.”
Biden’s team announced on Sunday that he had been diagnosed just two days earlier, after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms.
The rapid disclosure and severity of the diagnosis left some of his former aides questioning the timeline.
“I just don’t know how they just, kind of find this out on a Friday, and it’s this far advanced and serious,” the Biden White House aide said.
“[If it’s] in the bones, there’s gotta be a discomfort … I think they just didn’t test.”
Questions about the missing PSA test during the presidency
A key point of criticism centers around the absence of a PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) test in Biden’s 2024 annual physical report.
The PSA test is a common screening tool for prostate cancer, particularly for older men.
A former aide familiar with Biden’s medical team speculated that the decision not to include the test may have been intentional.
“They may have skipped the PSA test to avoid the media frenzy a false positive could cause,” the aide said.
“But by avoiding the test, they may have missed the chance to catch the cancer early.”
Medical professionals later confirmed that the cancer likely developed years ago, well before the end of Biden’s term.
Dr. Zeke Emanuel, a former COVID-19 adviser, said on MSNBC that the disease may have been present as early as 2021.
Concerns over transparency and public trust
Throughout Biden’s time in office, his health was frequently a topic of public and political debate.
Critics pointed to visible signs of aging and questioned his cognitive sharpness.
Despite concerns, Biden insisted he was fit for a second term until ending his 2024 campaign after a poor debate showing.
Biden’s cancer diagnosis preceded the release of *Original Sin*, a book alleging his administration hid his mental and physical decline.
Some former staffers saw the diagnosis timing as strategic, gaining Biden sympathy before damaging revelations.
“You can’t attack someone who just got a cancer diagnosis,” one former staffer observed. “It changes the tone of the conversation.”
White House doctor’s role comes under scrutiny
Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s longtime personal physician, has also come under renewed scrutiny.
Some aides find it hard to believe O’Connor wouldn’t have noticed symptoms, given his close relationship with the former president.
Others argued O’Connor may have just followed Biden’s lead if symptoms weren’t shared.
“[Biden] and O’Connor are incredibly close. He had unfettered access to the president. He’s more than a doctor — he’s a friend,” explained the former White House official.
“And Doc cares deeply for the president. I’ve watched him stand at the side when Biden was giving speeches and he had tears in his eyes. He’s in total awe and admiration of the boss.
“Maybe [Biden] wasn’t transparent to his doctor on his symptoms… It’s just hard when you have that amount of privilege [and access] to healthcare, to believe that you then would never go in, explain your symptoms and get it checked.
The symptoms sound like things that are textbook.”
“If Biden didn’t open up about how he was feeling, even the best doctor can’t force a diagnosis.”
Mixed reactions from former staffers
While some former aides believe there may have been negligence or political calculation, others insist there was no deliberate cover-up.
One former campaign aide acknowledged that Biden was always candid about needing the restroom, suggesting he wasn’t hiding symptoms.
Others pointed out that prostate cancer symptoms can be subtle or mistaken for other issues.
Ultimately, several former staffers voiced sadness over the situation, emphasizing Biden’s long history of personal loss.
“He’s endured so much,” one said. “This just adds to an already painful chapter in his life.”