Jill Biden says that after Joe Biden’s Stage IV prostate cancer diagnosis, she realized he wouldn’t have been able to serve another four years. Speaking on The View while promoting her memoir, she addressed the shock of the diagnosis, Joe’s ongoing pace despit
Jill Biden didn’t have to think long about what changed after her husband’s cancer diagnosis.
On The View. promoting her new memoir. View From the East Wing. the former first lady was asked a question that’s been sitting in the minds of many Americans since Joe Biden’s 2024 reelection bid. Co-host and former White House aide Alyssa Farah Griffin pointed to Joe Biden’s controversial June 2024 debate against Donald Trump—an exchange that sparked urgent questions about his health—and asked whether Jill still believed he was in a good place to serve as president for another term. until he was 86.
“Not from what I know now,” Jill Biden replied, speaking directly to the moment. “Who knew? It was so shocking to get a cancer diagnosis.”
The diagnosis was Stage IV prostate cancer. Jill later described what it has meant for their family day to day, saying, “life has changed now.” She also told the panel that it’s hard, because “It’s Stage IV. It’s in his bones,” even as she insisted Joe Biden has not slowed down.
She said she can’t imagine life without the diagnosis looming. Earlier. she told the Today show. “I think Joe will live with cancer for the rest of his life.” On The View. she added that despite the seriousness. he’s keeping his schedule—going to Washington. D.C. on Amtrak a couple times a month, speaking at Democratic rallies, writing, and staying active.
“He’s keeping up his schedule,” Jill said. “He’s going to D.C. on Amtrak a couple times a month. He’s speaking at Democratic rallies. He’s writing. He’s active. He’s Joe!”
Griffin also pressed Jill on whether she could see Joe Biden’s decline clearly as he prepared to run against Trump in 2024. Jill pushed back on the idea that aides or insiders had warned her. “You’re saying many aides saw this?. No one ever came to me and said, ‘Jill, Joe’s aging’ or ‘Something’s wrong,’” she said. “So, when I saw that, I mean, no doctors came to me and said that.”.
Still, when Americans watched the June debate performance unfold on TV, Jill said she was alarmed. “When all Americans saw that moment on TV at the debate. I mean. I was frightened out of my mind because I thought. ‘My God. he’s having a stroke. ’” she added. She then revealed that doctors cleared him after the debate and that he went on to do three more live events that same night without trouble.
Beyond the campaign fallout, Jill turned to health and prevention—especially for men. She advised men over the age of 70 to get checked for prostate cancer. saying her medical team has been “amazing. ” even though Joe’s cancer went undetected despite annual physicals. She pointed to guidelines discouraging prostate cancer screenings for men over 70 as a reason it was missed.
“It does have to change. All you men, I’m telling you, you need to pay attention to your health,” Jill said. “If you’re having a problem, don’t just say, ‘Oh, I’m going to look at this later.’ Do something about it. That’s my personal advice. Your body is saying something,” she added.
Asked directly whether she believed Joe Biden would have been capable of serving for another four years after his Stage IV diagnosis, Jill’s answer landed with a blunt clarity: “Not from what I know now.”
Jill Biden Joe Biden Stage IV prostate cancer The View Alyssa Farah Griffin View From the East Wing June 2024 debate Donald Trump Kamala Harris Amtrak prostate cancer screenings
Stage IV in his bones?? Wow… I mean I feel bad but also like how did nobody notice sooner?
So Jill says he wasn’t ready and it changed her mind about another 4 years… but he’s still doing everything? I’m confused like did he slow down or not? The View questions are always messy too.
I don’t get it, people keep saying debate performance means health, but cancer is like different from “being ready.” Also stage 4 in the bones sounds like it should’ve slowed him to a crawl. Unless they’re saying “not ready” politically not medically??
I saw this and immediately thought it’s like one of those things where they’re trying to explain the June debate. Like he looked off so everyone assumed the worst, then here we are with cancer, and now it’s “keeping his schedule.” Not trying to be mean, but I wish we had answers that were more clear, ya know?