Former President Joe Biden has kept a relatively low public profile since leaving the White House in 2025, making only occasional appearances. According to his son, Hunter Biden, his father’s health may be one reason the former president has largely stayed out of the spotlight.
During a wide-ranging interview with the BBC, Hunter spoke about several subjects, including his father’s cancer diagnosis and how the illness has affected the Biden family.
BBC Newsnight host Paddy O’Connell asked Hunter about comments from former first lady Jill Biden indicating that her husband had been dealing with prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.
“How has the family taken this diagnosis?” O’Connell asked.
“It’s really tough, Paddy,” Hunter replied.
He became visibly emotional as he continued, briefly pausing before describing his father’s role within the family.
“My dad is, and to this day remains, the center of our family,” Hunter said. “Not just because of who he is as the public person, but completely because of who he is to each one of us, down to his grandchildren and his great-grandchild.”
Hunter described his father as the family’s “rock” and praised him as a devoted father, husband and grandfather, regardless of how people might view his political career.
The most serious part of the conversation came when Hunter discussed the progression of his father’s cancer.
“The cancer has spread,” he said. “It’s metastasized into his bones and further.”
Hunter said the illness has been painful and debilitating, while adding that his father continues to remain engaged with public life and the issues he cares about.
“It’s very painful and it’s very debilitating in many respects, but he’s still out there,” Hunter said. “He’s still doing this thing.”
He added that his father remains deeply committed to the country and intends to stay involved for as long as he is able.
The interview also touched on the difficult history of the Biden family, which O’Connell described as having experienced “very soaring highs and very deep lows.” Hunter did not dispute that characterization.
Another notable moment came when the conversation turned to Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son before leaving office.
O’Connell asked Hunter whether he believed his father had gone too far by issuing the pardon.
Hunter acknowledged that he benefited from an extraordinary degree of privilege in the situation. He also said he had never discussed a pardon with his father beforehand and described himself as “eternally grateful” for receiving it.
But he did not try to portray the decision as politically harmless.
“Was it good for our Constitution? Was it good for the American people? Was it good for my dad’s legacy?” Hunter asked. “No. On all counts, it was not.”
He added that the pardon was “easily criticized and for good reason.”
“And I can’t pretend otherwise,” he said.
