The former U.S. president’s son has shared an emotional update on his father’s health.
Key Takeaways
- Hunter Biden says watching Joe Biden battle cancer has been “really sad to watch,” revealing the disease has metastasized into his bones and become extremely painful and debilitating.
- He describes Joe as still being the emotional center of the family and “the toughest man I know,” while wishing his father would complain more and be more open about what he is going through.
- Hunter reflects on his controversial 2024 presidential pardon, saying it was not good for the country or his father’s legacy but that he is grateful Joe acted as a dad first, and he rules out running for office to instead focus on addiction recovery advocacy.
Hunter Biden has opened up about Joe Biden’s health, describing his father’s battle with cancer as heartbreaking while revealing the disease has continued to progress.
In a wide-ranging interview with BBC News, Hunter became emotional while discussing the former U.S. president’s condition, saying it’s been difficult to watch his dad endure the illness.
“Cancer is really hard,” Hunter said, pausing to collect himself. “It’s really sad to watch.”
He then revealed that Joe’s cancer has spread beyond its original diagnosis. “The cancer has spread, metastasized into his bones and further,” Hunter said. “It’s very painful” and “very debilitating.”
Despite the diagnosis, Hunter said his father remains the emotional center of the Biden family. “My dad is, to this day, the center of our family,” he explained. “He’s the best father, the best husband, the best grandfather.”
“The only thing that I say about my dad, about his health right now, is I wish he would complain more,” Hunter added, wishing his father would be more open about what he’s experiencing.
Elsewhere in the interview, Hunter reflected on the controversy surrounding the presidential pardon he received in December 2024. He acknowledged that many people criticized the decision and said he understands why it became so divisive.
While he admitted the pardon wasn’t beneficial for the country, the Constitution or his father’s legacy, Hunter said he remains grateful that Joe Biden chose to act as a father first. He also insisted the two never discussed the possibility of a pardon before it was granted.
Hunter also shut down speculation that he could one day seek public office, saying elected politics is not part of his future. Instead, he hopes to dedicate more of his time to addiction recovery advocacy, describing recovery as an issue that brings people together regardless of political beliefs.
Drawing from his own struggles with substance abuse, Hunter said he wants to help others find hope through recovery and use his experiences to support those facing similar battles.
When asked what stands out most about his father, Hunter pointed beyond Joe Biden’s decades in politics and focused on his resilience through personal loss, political setbacks and now a serious illness. “He’s proven time and time again that when you get knocked down, you can get up,” Hunter said. “He’s the toughest man I know.”
