President Donald Trump managed to keep it civil after his predecessor, Joe Biden, revealed that he had been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer.
Trump wrote in a message on his Truth Social platform Sunday: “Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis,” adding: “We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
The message may come as a surprise to onlookers considering Trump’s long history of volatile comments towards the former president, who he has repeatedly claimed was both physically and cognitively impaired while in office.
Biden, 82, revealed on Sunday that he saw a doctor last week to evaluate a prostate nodule after he suffered from concerning urinary symptoms, according to a statement. He then received a formal diagnosis of cancer on Friday.
“On Friday, [Biden] was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone,” the statement read. “While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.”
The Gleason score that Biden’s office referenced is meant to measure how aggressive a cancer is in spreading. The higher the score, the more aggressive and more likely the cancer is to spread at a fast pace, according to the Virginia Oncology Associates.
The former president added that he and his family are reviewing treatment options with his doctors.
In response to the tragic news, Trump abruptly changed his tone on Biden.
Days ago, Trump labeled his predecessor as “hapless and cognitively impaired” in a searing Truth Social post.
He continued to criticize the president in an interview with Sean Hannity aboard Air Force one last week.
Last month, Trump raged that Biden was to blame for “purposefully” allowing “Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked” in what he alleged was “the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America.”
In his first interview since leaving the White House, Biden hit back against Trump’s constant criticism in an interview with the BBC.
What the hell’s going on here? What president ever talks like that? That’s not who we are,” Biden said. “We’re about freedom, democracy, opportunity, not about confiscation.”
