Joe Biden Says He Would Have Resigned If He Knew Cancer Was Affecting Him, Defends 2024 Campaign

Former U.S. President Joe Biden said he would have resigned if he had known cancer was making him feel unwell while in office, but insisted he remained capable of leading the country and still regarded his much-criticized 2024 debate with Donald Trump as inconsequential. ⠀ “If I had known that I was feeling lousy because I had cancer, I would have resigned,” Biden told PEOPLE in an interview published Wednesday. He said he would not have continued a presidential campaign under those circumstances. But he maintained that he had not known about the disease and believed his relationships with world leaders made him the best-equipped person for the job. ⠀ Biden, 83, was diagnosed in May 2025 with stage 4 prostate cancer that had already spread to his bones. After radiation treatment, he is receiving hormone therapy and taking eight pills daily. He said two recent tests showed no further spread beyond the cancer already identified and insisted he retained his mental and physical abilities. ⠀ Jill Biden described the diagnosis as a complete surprise that overturned the couple’s plans for travel after leaving the White House. She recalled looking at holiday destinations in a magazine before realizing: “This isn’t our life now.” ⠀ Looking back at his June 2024 debate with Trump, Biden said he had expected another debate and did not consider his performance consequential. The encounter nevertheless intensified concerns about his candidacy, and he withdrew from the race the following month. ⠀ He welcomed the Democrats’ sweeping 2026 midterm victories, saying the results could hardly have been better and that voters had not been persuaded by Trump’s “bravado.” He also expressed hope that Democrats would restore climate policies he accused Trump of dismantling. ⠀ Asked about his legacy ahead of the November 17 release of his memoir, Promise Me, America, Biden said he hoped he had kept America’s promise. He acknowledged making mistakes but insisted he had meant what he said and followed through on his commitments.