Former U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at Joint Base Andrews following inauguration ceremonies on Jan. 20, 2025, in Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Credit – Samuel Corum—Getty Images
Vice President J.D. Vance questioned on Monday whether former President Joe Biden was “capable of doing the job” of Commander in Chief, following the news that Biden has an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
“Of course, we wish the best for the former President’s health. It sounds pretty serious, but hopefully he makes the right recovery,” Vance told reporters. “I will say, whether the right time to have this conversation is now or at some point in the future, we really do need to be honest about whether the former President was capable of doing the job.”
“I don’t think he was able to do a good job for the American people,” Vance continued.
Biden’s office announced on Sunday that he had been diagnosed with cancer on Friday, after doctors found a nodule on his prostate. After additional tests, doctors determined that the cancer had spread to his bones. Biden’s Gleason score, which is used to grade the aggressiveness of prostate cancers, was 9, indicating that his cancer is among the most aggressive.
His office said that the cancer “appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management,” and that Biden and his family “are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”
Read More: What Does a Gleason Score of 9 Mean? Understanding Biden’s Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
Speaking to reporters on Air Force Two on Monday, Vance said he wished the former President well, but added that he didn’t believe Biden was in “good enough health” to lead the country. Vance said he blamed Biden “less” than the people around him.
“Why didn’t the American people have a better sense of his health picture? Why didn’t the American people have more accurate information about what he was actually dealing with?” Vance said. “This is the guy who carries around the nuclear football for the world’s largest nuclear arsenal. This is not child’s play, and we can pray for good health, but also recognize that if you’re not in good enough health to do the job, you shouldn’t be doing the job.”
Biden’s physician declared in a medical record summary released by the White House in February 2024 that Biden was “fit to successfully executive the duties of the Presidency” after a routine physical exam.
But concerns over Biden’s age and cognitive fitness loomed over his reelection campaign. Calls for him to drop out of the race intensified after the first presidential debate of the 2024 election last June, and he ultimately withdrew his candidacy in July. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris later became the Democratic nominee before losing the election to President Donald Trump in November.
On Sunday, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social that he and First Lady Melania Trump sent their best to Biden’s family, and wished the former President “a fast and successful recovery.”
Trump, who at the age of 78 became the oldest President to start a presidential term earlier this year, has also faced scrutiny over his health. During his presidential campaign, many pushed for him to release his medical records, especially after Harris released her own after entering the race. After Trump took office a second time, the White House released the results of his cognitive test and physical examination and tests. Trump’s physician deemed him to be in “excellent health” and said he is “fully fit” to be President.
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