Barack and Michelle Obama react to Joe Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis: 'He will fight this challenge'

WASHINGTON, DC: Former president Barack Obama offered a message of support to his former vice president Joe Biden just hours after news broke that the 82-year-old had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. 

The message was rather surreal, considering that the Obamas reportedly played a role in pushing him out as the Democratic nominee not long ago.

“Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family. Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace. We pray for a fast and full recovery," Barack posted on X (formerly Twitter). 

Details of Joe Biden's cancer diagnosis revealed

The diagnosis came just a week after doctors found a “small nodule” in Joe Biden's prostate that called for “further evaluation.”

By Friday, May 16, doctors were certain that it was prostate cancer, “characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.” That’s as serious as it gets — the Gleason scale maxes out at 10.

Having said that, Biden's office confirmed, in a statement released on Sunday, that "while this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management." 

"The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians," it added. 

Of course, this isn’t Biden’s first brush with the disease. In February 2023, he had a cancerous lesion removed from his chest. Before becoming president, he also underwent Mohs surgery to remove several non-melanoma skin cancer spots, as reported by the Daily Mail. 

It's worth noting that his eldest son, Beau Biden, died in 2015 at age 46 from glioblastoma multiforme, an especially aggressive form of brain cancer. The former president has long believed Beau’s illness stemmed from exposure to military burn pits during his service in Iraq.

In response, Biden relaunched his Cancer Moonshot initiative in 2022, a program first introduced during his vice presidency under Barack. Its goal was to cut the cancer death rate in half by 2047 and improve life for those living with the disease.

The Obamas' relationship with Joe Biden

Here’s where it gets a little awkward. Michelle Obama did share Barack’s post — but didn’t add a single word of her own.

After Biden’s disastrous debate performance in June last year, reports swirled that the 44th president had lost faith in his former right-hand man’s ability to win reelection. Behind the scenes, sources say the Obamas were part of the push to find a replacement.

That move reportedly hurt Biden a lot. He allegedly told close friends and family that he felt “a deep sense of betrayal” that Barack hadn’t backed him when it mattered most — despite their eight years as the famously close White House duo.

At the Democratic National Convention in August 2024, Barack praised Biden and called him his “brother.” But when Michelle took the stage for her own fiery 23-minute speech, there wasn't a single mention of Biden.

Sources say that wasn’t an accident. According to insiders, Michelle refused to speak at the DNC while Biden was still officially in the race. She only confirmed her slot after he’d stepped aside from the race to make way for Kamala Harris.

Kamala Harris’ tepid reaction to Joe Biden's cancer diagnosis

Kamala Harris issued a polite but notably flat response to Joe Biden's diagnosis. 

“Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis,” Harris wrote. “We are keeping him, Dr Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time.”

She added, “Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery.”