'Stage 5' or 'stage 9'? Trump family’s cancer gaffes after Biden's diagnosis
Donald Trump and his eldest son, Trump Jr, were mocked for their respective gaffes while addressing former President Joe Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis
President Donald Trump and his eldest son, Trump Jr, were mocked for their respective gaffes while addressing former President Joe Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis. At a press conference on Monday, Trump seemed to confuse the Gleason score 9, and instead said Biden has stage 9 cancer. Such a stage does not exist.
Only a day ago, Donald Trump Jr tweeted about a ‘stage 5’ diagnosis, which again, does not exist. The most advanced stage of cancer is Stage IV, also known as metastatic or advanced cancer.
Trump Jr was also one of the first ones to push a ‘cover-up’ theory, suggesting former First Lady Jill Biden knew about her husband's diagnosis well before the announcement was made.
"What I want to know is how did Dr. Jill Biden miss stage five metastatic cancer or is this yet another coverup???" he said on his father's Truth Social network.
On Monday, the president was speaking to reporters after signing the ‘Take It Down’ Act, which bans the nonconsensual online use of sexually explicit images and videos that are both authentic and computer-generated. He was asked about his predecessor's cancer diagnosis. He said that the news was ‘very sad’, but added: “I’m surprised that it wasn’t, you know, the public wasn’t notified a long time ago, because to get stage 9, that’s a long time.”
The 78-year-old then told reporters about his physician, saying he is ‘proud to ace it’.
After Joe Biden's office made the announcement on Sunday, Trump posted a note on Truth Social, saying: “Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
Biden diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The former president's office said that he has been diagnosed with an ‘aggressive’ form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones.
"While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management. The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians," the statement said.
