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'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

Published on: May 20, 2025, 03:47:27 IST
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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.

President Donald Trump spoke about Biden's cancer diagnosis on Monday (AP)
President Donald Trump spoke about Biden's cancer diagnosis on Monday (AP)

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.

  • Yash Nitish Bajaj
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Yash Nitish Bajaj

    Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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