Hunter Biden Says His Father’s Cancer Has Spread, Causing Significant Pain

Former U.S. President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has progressed and spread beyond his bones, causing him significant pain and debilitating symptoms, his son Hunter Biden has disclosed in a new interview.

Hunter Biden made the revelation during an emotional interview with the BBC, describing his 83-year-old father’s condition as increasingly difficult for the family to watch. Reuters reported that Hunter said the cancer had metastasized into Biden’s bones and further, while the Associated Press likewise reported that the disease has spread to his bones.

The disclosure represents one of the clearest public updates about the former president’s health since his cancer diagnosis was announced in May 2025.

Speaking to the BBC, Hunter Biden said his father was experiencing considerable pain as the cancer continued to progress.

He described the illness as “very painful” and “very debilitating”, according to Reuters and other reports of the interview.

Hunter became emotional while discussing his father’s health, describing it as particularly difficult because Biden has continued to remain publicly engaged despite his illness.

The former president has continued speaking publicly on political and social issues and has maintained a degree of public activity since leaving the White House in January 2025. The Associated Press reported that Biden is also preparing a memoir, Promise Me, America, expected after the 2026 midterm elections.

Biden’s cancer diagnosis was made public in May 2025, shortly after he left the presidency.

His office announced at the time that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had already spread to his bones.

The diagnosis came after doctors found a prostate nodule following an evaluation prompted by urinary symptoms. Biden’s office said the cancer was hormone-sensitive, meaning its growth could be affected by treatments that target hormones.

The diagnosis immediately generated widespread concern because of Biden’s age and the aggressive nature of the disease.

After announcing the diagnosis, Biden began treatment.

His representatives later confirmed that he underwent radiation therapy and hormone treatment. In October 2025, he completed a course of radiation therapy for the cancer.

The former president has nevertheless continued to make public appearances and speak on political matters.

That continued public activity is particularly notable given Hunter’s description of the physical toll the disease is now taking.

One of the central points in Hunter Biden’s interview was his father’s determination to remain publicly engaged despite his condition.

The Associated Press reported that Hunter said Biden continues to speak about issues that matter to him even while dealing with the effects of advanced cancer.

Hunter’s comments also appeared to reflect the tension between Biden’s desire to remain active and the physical limitations imposed by his illness.

The former president has largely maintained a lower public profile since leaving office, but he has continued making occasional appearances and political statements.

His health has also remained a subject of public discussion since his presidency, when questions about his age and physical and cognitive fitness became a major issue during the 2024 election campaign.

Biden, who is 83, is the oldest person to have served as U.S. president.

Concerns about his age intensified during the 2024 presidential campaign, particularly following his June 2024 debate performance against Donald Trump. Biden subsequently ended his campaign for another term and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee.

He ultimately left office in January 2025 after Trump won the November 2024 election.

His cancer diagnosis several months later revived questions about his health, although his office said the prostate cancer was only diagnosed after he underwent medical evaluation following urinary symptoms.

Hunter Biden has become increasingly visible in public discussions surrounding his father since leaving the White House.

In recent months, he has given interviews and used social media to defend his father’s record while criticizing President Donald Trump and other political opponents.

In another interview earlier this year, Hunter strongly defended his father after critics questioned the cancer diagnosis. He has also spoken extensively about his own life and past struggles.

The Guardian reported in July that Hunter had developed a larger online following through his outspoken political commentary and attacks on Trump’s administration.

The BBC interview was broader than Biden’s health and also touched on the controversial pardon Joe Biden granted his son before leaving office.

Hunter acknowledged that the pardon was problematic and said it was not good for his father’s legacy or for the country.

According to reports, Hunter said he was nevertheless grateful because he believed the incoming Trump administration could have pursued him aggressively.

The pardon had been one of the most controversial decisions of Biden’s final weeks in office. Hunter had previously been convicted on federal gun charges and had pleaded guilty to federal tax charges before his father issued the pardon.

The Washington Post reported that Hunter acknowledged in the BBC interview that the pardon was “not fair” and raised concerns about its implications for his father’s legacy.

Following Hunter Biden’s latest disclosure, a spokesman for the former president declined to comment on Saturday, according to Reuters.

That means Hunter’s account is currently the principal public source for the latest information about the progression and impact of Biden’s cancer.

There has been no publicly released detailed medical report from Biden’s doctors accompanying the latest disclosure.

The new information indicates that Biden’s cancer remains a serious and ongoing health challenge.

Metastatic prostate cancer can spread to other parts of the body, including the bones, and bone involvement can cause significant pain and other complications. However, the course of the disease varies considerably from patient to patient, and the latest reports do not provide enough medical information to determine Biden’s individual prognosis.

For now, Hunter Biden’s comments provide a rare glimpse into the former president’s private struggle with the disease.

While Biden continues to speak publicly and remain involved in political discussions, his son’s description suggests that maintaining that activity comes at a considerable physical cost.

The disclosure is also likely to renew public discussion about Biden’s health, his decision to remain politically active after leaving office and the extent to which his medical condition was known to those around him during his presidency.

For the Biden family, however, Hunter’s comments portray the issue less as a political controversy and more as a deeply personal battle involving an elderly father whose illness has become increasingly painful.