Cancer treatment prompts Biden to reduce memoir promotion

Updated / Monday, 9 Nov 2026 18:06

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Former US president Joe Biden says he is scaling back plans to promote his upcoming memoir as he undergoes treatment for aggressive prostate cancer, acknowledging that the illness sometimes leaves him struggling.

The 83-year-old Democrat, whose cognitive decline was a major issue during his presidency and ultimately ended his bid to stay in power, has said that he would be unable to make as many public appearances as he had hoped ahead of the 17 November release of "Promise Me, America."

"Some days are better than others. It hasn't stopped me. But sometimes it slows me down," Mr Biden wrote on X.

"What that means is, unfortunately, I won't be able to do as many conversations about my book as I'd hoped. However, I'm hopeful the words on the page speak for themselves."

Mr Biden announced in May 2025, four months after leaving the White House, that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.

He has since undergone radiation and hormone therapy, while his son Hunter said in August that the disease had spread further and was causing considerable pain.

Mr Biden struck an optimistic note about his treatment, saying his doctors "continue to be encouraged" by his response.

His memoir chronicles his four years in the White House, including his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, his widely criticised withdrawl from Afghanistan, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and his controversial decision to seek reelection in 2024 before withdrawing, a move some Democrats said handed the presidency to Donald Trump.

In an excerpt published by The Atlantic, Biden complained about his successor over the 2021 assault on the US Capitol.

"What Trump did on January 6, 2021, should never be forgotten. It should follow him to his grave," Mr Biden wrote.

He also recalled an unexpectedly friendly Oval Office meeting with President Trump following the Republican's 2024 election victory, during which his successor suggested they might have been friends outside politics.

Mr Biden abandoned his reelection campaign in July 2024 after a disastrous debate against Mr Trump intensified concerns about his age, mental capacity and fitness for office.

His vice president, Kamala Harris, subsequently lost the election, returning Mr Trump to the White House.

Mr Biden said his book would explain the decisions he made in office and reflect his faith in American democracy.