3 minPolitics
Biden limits promotion of his memoir as he undergoes prostate cancer treatment
Former President Joe Biden is scaling back appearances for his memoir "Promise Me, America" because prostate cancer treatment has at times slowed him, he said in a social media statement.
Former President Joe Biden is limiting the promotion of his presidential memoir, "Promise Me, America," because his battle with prostate cancer has at times slowed him down. The book is scheduled for release on November 17, and Biden said in a statement shared on social media that he has had fewer conversations about it than he had hoped.
Biden was diagnosed with prostate cancer in May 2025. The disease is an aggressive form that has spread to his bones. In his statement, Biden said the illness has not stopped him, and his doctors have been encouraged by how he is responding to treatment. He emphasized his faith in the American people and in democracy, themes that run through the book itself.
The memoir covers his four years in the White House, a period dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the January 6 Capitol riot, major legislation and diplomacy. It also details his decision to drop his bid for re-election in 2024, a choice that reshaped the Democratic race that year. Readers will find in the book his account of those four years in his own words, which is why the publicity around it matters to him and to his publisher.
The reduced pace of his promotion has been noticeable beyond the book tour. Biden has been absent from the midterm campaign trail, where former President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris have taken on much of the campaigning. Reports attributed to his son Hunter said the cancer had spread further and was causing pain. The family has not offered a detailed medical update beyond Biden's own statement, leaving the specifics of his condition to what he has chosen to share publicly.
Biden's statement framed his decision as a matter of pacing rather than retreat. He said the illness has not stopped him from working, and he pointed to the encouragement his medical team has taken from his response to treatment. Those assurances stand alongside the acknowledgment that the disease has at times limited his energy and schedule.
It remains unclear how many public appearances Biden will make in the coming months, or how far his treatment will restrict his schedule. What is clear from his statement is that he intends to keep his public voice in view, even as the illness shapes how he presents his work to the public and how much of his time he can give to it.
Source: deadline.com
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