Former President Joe Biden is looking “more frail” and noticeably tired in recent weeks, according to several longtime friends who say they’re increasingly worried about the toll his aggressive cancer battle is taking.
Five people close to Biden — including an elected Democrat and two former staffers — told The Washington Post they’ve grown concerned over the 83-year-old’s condition. What’s adding to the anxiety? They say they haven’t received any recent updates from Biden or his inner circle about how he’s really doing.
Biden revealed in May that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had already spread to his bones. Doctors classified it with a Gleason score of 9 — near the top of the scale, which ranges from 6 to 10 — signaling a fast-moving and serious disease.
By October 11, his team announced he was undergoing radiation therapy. He had already been taking hormone therapy pills, and later that month he was photographed ringing a bell to mark the end of his radiation treatments. In September, he also had several skin cancer lesions surgically removed from his head.
At the time of his diagnosis, Biden struck a hopeful tone.
“Cancer touches us all,” he wrote on social media. “Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places.”
But behind the scenes, friends now reportedly say the physical toll is becoming harder to ignore.
Medical experts have noted that when prostate cancer spreads to the bones — particularly the spine — patients can face severe complications, including fractures from minor movements.
Health concerns are not new for Biden. During his final year in office, critics repeatedly questioned his mental sharpness after a series of high-profile gaffes and a debate performance against Donald Trump that many Democrats described as catastrophic. He stumbled over sentences, lost his train of thought, and appeared confused on stage.
The pressure intensified after then–Vice President Kamala Harris reflected on Biden’s decision to seek a second term in her memoir, calling it “reckless.”
“In retrospect, I think it was recklessness. The stakes were simply too high. This wasn’t a choice that should have been left to an individual’s ego,” she wrote.
Biden ultimately dropped out of the 2028 race, paving the way for Harris to take over as the Democratic nominee.
Since leaving the White House in January — six months after abandoning his campaign — Biden has kept a low public profile. He has made select appearances, including attending the funeral of Pope Francis in April and the funeral of former Vice President Dick Cheney in November.
His team maintains that he is progressing well, continuing to work on projects and preparing for public remarks. He is expected to visit South Carolina this month to commemorate the sixth anniversary of his pivotal primary victory there.
Still, the silence around detailed health updates is fueling questions — even among friends who once had regular access.
For now, Biden’s allies insist he’s fighting. But as those closest to him quietly express concern, the political world is once again watching closely.
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