Several US presidents secretly battled serious illnesses while in office, as Trump accuses Biden’s team of hiding important health facts.
Recent news of President Biden’s cancer diagnosis has raised debate about transparency in presidential health disclosures.
The controversy grew when President Trump accused Biden’s administration of hiding key medical information.
However, history shows Biden is not the only U.S. president to have concealed serious health issues during their time in office.
Trump questions delay in Biden’s cancer disclosure
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump expressed surprise that Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis was not made public earlier.
He emphasized that routine testing for men, including prostate exams, should have detected the illness sooner.
Trump described the situation as “dangerous” for the country, accusing Biden’s team of withholding the truth.
“I’m surprised the public wasn’t notified a long time ago,” Trump said while addressing Biden’s prostate cancer.
“To get to stage nine, that’s a long time. When you take tests, as a male, that test is very standard.”
The president also criticized Biden’s doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who had previously declared Biden to be in good health.
He pointed out that the earlier physical examination did not include a prostate check.
Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre previously defended skipping a cognitive test, telling reporters, “The president doesn’t need a cognitive test.”
“That is not my assessment, that is the assessment of the president’s doctor, that is also the assessment of his neurologist,” she said in 2022.
But Trump countered on Monday, “If it’s the same doctor that said there’s nothing wrong there, and that’s being proven to be a very sad situation.
“I think someone is going to have to speak to his doctor.”
US Presidents’ hidden illness revealed
Concealing medical conditions from the public is not unprecedented among U.S. presidents.
Several leaders in history chose secrecy over disclosure to avoid causing public alarm or political instability.
According to research from the University of Arizona, at least five presidents kept serious illnesses hidden during their terms.
Chester Arthur’s fatal kidney disease was kept secret
Chester Alan Arthur, the 21st president, battled a fatal kidney disease diagnosed early in his presidency.
Though officially diagnosed with Bright’s disease, some experts believe that diagnosis was inaccurate.
They argue that Arthur actually suffered from glomerulonephritis, which severely impaired kidney function.
Arthur’s health deteriorated rapidly, but his illness remained concealed from the public, and he passed away shortly after leaving office.
The secrecy surrounding his condition prevented public knowledge of how his declining health might have affected his leadership.
Grover Cleveland’s yacht surgery to hide a tumor
Grover Cleveland famously underwent secret surgery to remove a tumor from the roof of his mouth aboard a friend’s yacht.
The operation was carried out discreetly to avoid alarming the nation during a financial depression.
Cleveland’s aides attributed the surgery to a simple tooth extraction, masking the seriousness of his condition.
The tumor was later identified as carcinoma, but the public remained unaware of the true nature of his illness at the time.
Franklin Roosevelt hid his paralysis with careful image management
Franklin D. Roosevelt faced lifelong challenges from polio, which left him largely confined to a wheelchair.
Nevertheless, he and his team took great pains to conceal the extent of his disability from the public.
Photographs were carefully managed, and reporters helped portray Roosevelt as more mobile than he truly was.
During his four terms, Roosevelt was rarely seen in his wheelchair. This reflected a deliberate effort to maintain a strong presidential image.
John F. Kennedy’s numerous health challenges
John F. Kennedy experienced numerous health problems throughout his life, including severe back pain.
He was also suspected of having Addison’s disease, though it was never officially confirmed.
As a child, Kennedy battled scarlet fever and a mysterious illness during school that left him severely weakened.
Despite serious health issues, Kennedy’s campaign denied Addison’s disease claims, only admitting to mild adrenal insufficiency during the presidential race.
His health struggles remained largely hidden from the public during his presidency.
Woodrow Wilson’s strokes concealed from public and himself
Woodrow Wilson experienced multiple strokes both before and during his presidency.
One stroke was so severe that it left him incapacitated for the rest of his term.
Remarkably, his wife and physician concealed the severity of his condition even from Wilson himself.
They feared the truth would harm his recovery and the nation’s stability.
Wilson’s health was kept secret, sparking concerns about how his incapacitation may have affected key decisions during his presidency.
