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Biden says he wouldn't have run in 2024 had he known he had cancer

Former President Joe Biden told People magazine he did not know he had cancer while president and would not have sought a second term if he had known. 'I don't think an 80-year-old man with cancer should be running' for president, he said. Biden was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer months after leaving office in 2025. His White House memoir, Promise Me, America, is due out November 17.

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Why it matters

Biden, who was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer months after leaving office in 2025, says he did not know he had cancer while president. His comments add his own account to the debate over his 2024 reelection bid, which he ended after his June 2024 debate.

What to watch

Biden's White House memoir, Promise Me, America, is due out November 17.

Sources

Checked against 2 established news sources:

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Published Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Spot an error? Email [email protected]. See our corrections log and standards.

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