The news of Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis should have been met with compassion. Instead, Donald Trump Jr. turned it into controversy.
On May 19, 2025, Trump Jr. reshared a post from Dr. Steven Quay, who cast doubt on Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis, suggesting it was implausible for the disease to reach an advanced stage undetected. Trump Jr. added fuel to the fire by questioning whether Jill Biden, who holds a doctorate in education, had somehow missed the diagnosis.
The implication—that Biden’s team had concealed his illness or that his wife was somehow at fault—drew immediate backlash. Author Don Winslow called the post “disgusting,” while others labeled it “tasteless” and “shameful.” One critic wrote, “There’s no bottom for Don Jr.”
The harsh reaction highlighted a stark contrast in responses. Earlier, Trump Jr. had shared a polite message wishing Biden well. But his later remarks, laced with conspiracy theories, overshadowed that brief moment of decorum.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump offered a more measured response, expressing sadness over the diagnosis and extending his family’s best wishes.
Biden’s condition, disclosed on May 18, involves an aggressive, metastatic prostate cancer with a Gleason score of 9. While serious, doctors noted that hormone-sensitive cancers often respond to treatment.
As Biden weighs his options, the unnecessary politicization of his health has left many dismayed. Trump Jr.’s comments, in particular, were seen as a callous exploitation of a deeply personal challenge.
