Former President Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis comes amid ongoing rumors and reports of a widening rift between him and former first family Barack and Michelle Obama.
After hearing that Biden was diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer — which has been questioned by several medical experts — former President Obama posted what appeared to be a heartfelt message to his deputy of eight years.
“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,” he wrote on social media. “We pray for a fast and full recovery.”
Michelle Obama shared her husband’s message but did so without adding any thoughts of her own, which again fueled speculation that the divide between her and the Bidens is growing.
Political insiders have long speculated about underlying tensions between the former first lady and the Biden family, according to reports.
Sources claim Michelle Obama has been upset with the Bidens over their treatment of her close friend, Kathleen Buhle—Hunter Biden’s ex-wife—who has reportedly been estranged from the family since their 2017 separation.
The relationship between the Obamas and Biden reportedly worsened after Biden’s poor debate performance against Trump in June 2024.
Reports have circulated that Barack Obama quietly backed efforts to identify a replacement candidate, a move that left Biden feeling betrayed, despite their previously close relationship during his eight years as vice president.
Biden’s vice president, Kamala Harris, who he endorsed as his replacement when he dropped his reelection bid, also sent a lukewarm response to the cancer diagnosis.
“Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis,” she wrote on social media. “We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time.”
She continued: “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.”
The statement seemed to many observers as formulaic and lacking personal warmth, the Daily Mail reported.
“Are you even serious? You stabbed this man in the back and then threw him to the wolves,” one online commenter wrote, per the Daily Mail.
Another observer noted: “Such public displays of empathy… a performance for the masses. It is as if genuine concern is a rare commodity that must be theatrically displayed. Perhaps true compassion starts where the cameras end.”
The relationship between Biden and Harris reportedly deteriorated after she lost to Donald Trump in both the popular vote and the Electoral College.
According to insiders, Biden was privately frustrated about being pressured to withdraw from the race on July 21, believing he could have defeated Trump on his own had he remained the Democratic nominee.
One Harris campaign adviser told the Washington Post: “It’s almost Shakespearean that Biden didn’t just kill his own campaign, he killed hers, too.”
Medical professionals believe that Biden’s cancer was prevalent throughout his term in office, not ‘suddenly’ discovered only recently.
Not long after the news broke, leading experts began posing questions about the diagnosis. Donald Trump Jr. posted a screengrab of a statement from physician Dr. Steven Quay, who called prostate cancer “the easiest cancer to diagnose when it first starts and to watch it progress to bone metastases.”
“It is inconceivable that this was not being followed before he left the Presidency,” wrote Dr. Howie Forman, a professor of radiology and biomedical imaging, public health management, and economics at Yale.
Dr. Vin Gupta, an NBC News medical contributor, told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough on Monday that Presidents Donald Trump, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush all have records confirming easily accessible prostate exams.
But there is no record of Biden receiving one, and his past medical records are not accessible, he said, only vague summaries.