Trump claims Biden allies tried to ‘cover up’ his cancer diagnosis: ‘dangerous for…’

US President Donald Trump fueled speculation that Joe Biden's cancer diagnosis was covered up, stating he was "surprised" the public was not told about his predecessor's condition earlier.

“I’m surprised the public wasn’t notified a long time ago,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office in his first on-camera statement about his predecessor’s diagnosis.

"It takes a long time to get to that situation, to get to a stage nine," he added, apparently referring to the announcement by Biden's office that his cancer had “a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5).”

Trump said he had undergone a full physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last month, and claimed that a prostate exam is “standard” for “pretty much anyone getting a good physical.”

“When you take tests, as a male, that test is very standard. This is dangerous for our country,” Trump added, noting that Biden contributed to the “mess” the country is in now.

Prostate cancer that looks "very abnormal" is assigned the highest rating, Grade 5, according to the American Cancer Society. The Gleason Score goes up to 10, indicating the seriousness of Biden's disease.

That screening restrictions could very well have left Biden's condition undiscovered until now, and that late identification of an advanced cancer would not be unheard of, even for a former president getting best-in-class medical care, Oncologists said in conversation with AFP.

Trump, whose much of the 2024 election campaign was focussed on bashing Biden's cognitive fitness, had stated on Sunday that he was "saddened" by the diagnosis. However, 24 hours later he was leaning into accusations by others in his orbit of a cover-up, comprising his son Don Jr.

Don Jr. speaks out on Biden's cancer diagnosis

Don Jr. asked on Sunday whether the cancer should have been discovered earlier, and then on Monday boosted unfounded claims Biden had covered up a previous diagnosis. He posted a clip of Biden, whose son Beau died of brain cancer, stating in an apparent gaffe in 2022 that "I, and so damn many other people I grew up with, have cancer."

“Joe says he had cancer 2 years ago & everyone said it’s a gaffe. When he clearly had dementia, everyone said he’s lucid. Now that he’s no longer useful they’re all shocked that they missed it. Everyone was in on the cover-up! Who was running the country? We need accountability!” he said.

Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance said that "we really do need to be honest" about Biden's fitness. "You can separate the desire for him to have the right health outcome with a recognition that -- whether it was doctors or whether there were staffers around the former president -- I don't think he was able to do a good job for the American people," Vance mentioned after a meeting with Pope Leo XIV.

Biden's team refuses any efforts to hide concerns regarding his health

Biden’s cancer diagnosis comes as fresh questions swirl about his health during his time in office. A newly released book titled Original Sin, authored by journalists Jake Tapper (CNN) and Alex Thompson (Axios), claims that members of his staff attempted to conceal signs of his decline.

Biden’s granddaughter, Naomi, strongly criticised the authors, describing the book as “a bunch of unoriginal, uninspired lies written by irresponsible, self-promoting journalists trying to make a quick buck.”

Biden's team has consistently refused any efforts to hide concerns regarding his health.

In the wake of the diagnosis, Biden has received an outpouring of support, including messages from Kamala Harris and everyday Americans. “Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support,” Biden stated on social media on Monday, with a photo of him and former first lady Jill Biden.

(With inputs from AFP)