The news of former U.S. President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis has sent waves of concern across the political landscape—and stirred a storm of outrage over how some chose to respond.

On Sunday evening, May 18, a somber announcement was made by Biden’s office: the 82-year-old Democrat, who left office earlier this year, has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, reportedly with metastasis to the bone. The diagnosis, while serious, is said to be manageable due to the cancer’s hormone-sensitive nature.

While current President Donald Trump issued a statement extending warm wishes for Biden’s recovery, his son, Donald Trump Jr, took a drastically different approach—one that has ignited a wave of criticism online and across media outlets.

As Americans grapple with the news of Biden’s health battle, many are also questioning the tone and intent behind Trump Jr’s comments, which some have labeled “cruel,” “ignorant,” and “deeply inappropriate.”

Biden’s Diagnosis: What We Know
According to the official statement released by Biden’s office, the former president sought medical evaluation after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms. Doctors identified a prostate nodule and, following further tests, confirmed a diagnosis of prostate cancer with a Gleason score of 9—placing it in Grade Group 5, the most severe classification.

In clinical terms, a Gleason score of 9 indicates that the cancer cells are highly abnormal and are likely to grow and spread quickly. The cancer has reportedly metastasized to the bone, complicating treatment but not rendering it hopeless. Biden’s physicians emphasized that the cancer remains hormone-sensitive, meaning treatment options are available that can manage the disease and potentially prolong life with reasonable quality.

The statement further noted that President Biden and his family are “reviewing treatment options with his medical team.”

Trump Offers a Traditional Response
In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to express sympathy. Despite their intense political rivalry, Trump maintained a respectful tone, writing:

In clinical terms, a Gleason score of 9 indicates that the cancer cells are highly abnormal and are likely to grow and spread quickly. The cancer has reportedly metastasized to the bone, complicating treatment but not rendering it hopeless. Biden’s physicians emphasized that the cancer remains hormone-sensitive, meaning treatment options are available that can manage the disease and potentially prolong life with reasonable quality.

The statement further noted that President Biden and his family are “reviewing treatment options with his medical team.”

Trump Offers a Traditional Response
In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to express sympathy. Despite their intense political rivalry, Trump maintained a respectful tone, writing:

“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.”

The statement was praised across social media as a rare moment of civility in an otherwise divisive political climate. Regardless of partisan leanings, many agreed that serious health issues, especially cancer, should remain outside the realm of political point-scoring.

But unfortunately, not everyone took that approach.

Donald Trump Jr: From “Support” to Controversy
Shortly after the news broke, Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Trump, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) with what initially appeared to be a message of goodwill. Sharing an image that read, “BREAKING: Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Politics aside, we wish him a speedy recovery,” Trump Jr. added: “Agreed 100%.”

However, his next post would spark outrage.

Trump Jr. followed up with a screenshot of a tweet speculating about Biden’s diagnosis timeline and whether there had been a cover-up. He captioned it:

“What I want to know is how did Dr. Jill Biden miss stage five metastatic cancer or is this yet another coverup???”

The post instantly drew widespread condemnation—not only for its factual inaccuracy, but also for what critics called a tasteless and insensitive attack during a deeply personal and difficult moment for the Biden family.

Critics Quickly Fire Back
It didn’t take long for backlash to erupt online. Many users pointed out a glaring issue: Jill Biden is not a medical doctor, but rather holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership from the University of Delaware.

“She’s an educator, not an oncologist,” one user replied bluntly.