A look at former President Joe Biden's health in wake of prostate cancer diagnosis

A look at former President Joe Biden's health in wake of prostate cancer diagnosis

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with anaggressive form of prostate cancerthat has metastasized to the bone, his office announced this week. The 82-year-old left office earlier this year as the oldest serving president in U.S. history. The cancer diagnosis also comes amidrenewed questionsabout his mental and physical fitness before leaving office due to a slate of new books from reporters claiming Biden was dealing with cognitive decline at the end of his presidency, which the former president has refuted. Here's a look at Biden's health and physical findings since he campaigned for the presidency. Dec. 17, 2019: Medical history released during campaign Biden's campaign releases asummary of his medical historyas the vice president is running for the Democratic presidential nomination. His physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, says Biden is a "healthy, vigorous, 77-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State, and Commander in Chief." Biden is being treated for four different conditions: non-valvular atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, a type of irregular heart rhythm; hyperlipidemia -- higher concentrations of fats or lipids in the blood; gastroesophageal reflux; and seasonal allergies. O'Connor notes that Biden's non-valvular atrial fibrillation was discovered in a preoperative EKG when he had his gallbladder removed in 2003, and that the former vice president is currently asymptomatic and has never required any medication or electrical treatment for either his heart rhythm or rate. MORE: Former President Joe Biden diagnosed with 'aggressive' prostate cancer Biden has also been treated for benign prostatic hyperplasia-- otherwise known as an enlarged prostate -- but "has never had prostate cancer," O'Connor notes. Biden has also had several non-melanoma skin cancers removed with Mohs surgery, according to O'Connor. "These lesions were completely excised, with clear margins. He continues to receive close dermatologic surveillance," the doctor says of Biden. Nov. 28, 2020: Foot fracture After winning the presidency, Biden suffers a fractured foot after falling while chasing his dog Major at his Wilmington, Delaware, home over the Thanksgiving weekend, according to O'Connor. The injury requires the use of a walking boot while healing. Nov. 19, 2021: 1st presidential physical Biden has hisfirst physicalas president, with O'Connor saying he is a "healthy, vigorous 78-year-old man," who is "fit for duty" and "fully executes all of his responsibilities without exemptions or accommodations." Biden continues to be treated for non-valvular atrial fibrillation, hyperlipidemia, gastroesophageal reflux and seasonal allergies, according to O'Connor. He is also being treated for spinal arthritis and "mild sensory peripheral neuropathy" in both feet, O'Connor says, noting they both may be responsible for "subtle" changes in Biden's gait, which has stiffened in the past year. O'Connor also notes Biden's frequent throat clearing compared to last year. Biden's foot fracture has "healed nicely," O'Connor says. July 21, 2022: 1st COVID-19 diagnosis Bidentests positive for COVID-19for the first time, experiencing mild symptoms. He starts taking Paxlovid and subsequently reports arebound case. MORE: 'Strongest in the broken places': Joe and Jill Biden say thanks amid cancer diagnosis Feb. 16, 2023: 2nd presidential physical Biden has hissecond physicalas president, with O'Connor saying he "remains a healthy, vigorous, 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief." Biden continues to be treated for non-valvular atrial fibrillation, hyperlipidemia, gastroesophageal reflux, seasonal allergies, spinal arthritis and mild sensory peripheral neuropathy in both feet, according to O'Connor. Biden's stiffened gait was likely the cause of "wear and tear" on the spine but did not result in "root nerve compression significant enough to warrant any specific treatment," the doctor says. Biden's frequent throat clearing remains unchanged from last year. Following his COVID-19 infection, Biden is not dealing with any long-haul symptoms, O'Connor says. During the physical, a lesion is removed from Biden's chest for biopsy as part of his skin cancer surveillance. March 3, 2023: Cancerous skin lesion The lesion removed from Biden's chest isfound to be cancerous, O'Connor says. "As expected, the biopsy confirmed that the small lesion was basal cell carcinoma," O'Connor says. "All cancerous tissue was successfully removed. ... No further treatment is required." Feb. 28, 2024: 3rd presidential physical Following histhird physicalas president, Biden is found to be a "healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male, who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief," O'Connor says. The "most notable interval history for this past year" was the incorporation of positive airway pressure, or PAP, into Biden's sleeping routine, O'Connor says, noting that Biden has experienced symptoms consistent with sleep apnea in the past. "Given the importance of efficient sleep for anyone, but certainly for a senior executive, we revisited the issue this past spring, and conducted a formal sleep study. This study confirmed my suspicion that the President would benefit from optimizing his sleep efficiency with PAP," O'Connor says. Biden's medical considerations "remain stable and well-controlled," including a-fib, hyperlipidemia, gastroesophageal reflux, seasonal allergies, spinal arthritis and sensory peripheral neuropathy in both feet, O'Connor says. June 27, 2024: Debate against Trump Questions mount over Biden's mental acuity and fitness for office following his largely haltingdebate performanceagainst Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Biden denies the performance is a sign of any serious condition,subsequently tellingABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, "It was a bad episode." "I was exhausted. I didn't listen to my instincts in terms of preparing and -- and a bad night," he says. MORE: Biden, on 'The View,' takes blame for Trump's win and rejects reports of cognitive decline July 17, 2024: Tests positive for COVID-19 again Biden testspositive for COVID-19for the second time while campaigning in Las Vegas. He has mild symptoms and takes Paxlovid, the White House says. July 21, 2024: Drops out of race After isolating for several days at his Rehoboth Beach home following his COVID-19 diagnosis, Biden announces he will bedropping outof the 2024 presidential race, saying that while he intended to seek reelection, "I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term." May 8, 2025: Pushes back on reports of cognitive decline on 'The View' In anappearance on ABC's "The View,"both Biden and former first lady Jill Biden push back against the slate of new books from reporters claiming Biden was dealing with cognitive decline at the end of his presidency. "They are wrong. There's nothing to sustain that," the former president says. Asked how he's doing, Joe Biden says, "I'm well. The family's well, thank God. Things are moving along and we're getting squared away trying to figure out what the most significant and consequential role I can play, consistent with what I've done in the past." May 13, 2025: Nodule found in prostate A Biden spokespersonconfirms to ABC Newsthat a small nodule was found in his prostate during "a routine physical exam," requiring further evaluation. May 16, 2025: Prostate cancer diagnosis Biden isdiagnosed with prostate cancerfollowing being "seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms," according to his office. The cancer is "characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone," his office said. Biden's diagnosis of a Gleason score of 9indicates his canceris aggressive and the cancer cells are likely to grow and spread rapidly. "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," his office said. A look at former President Joe Biden's health in wake of prostate cancer diagnosisoriginally appeared onabcnews.go.com

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 19, 2025

A look at former President Joe Biden's health in wake of prostate cancer diagnosis

A look at former President Joe Biden's health in wake of prostate cancer diagnosis Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an...

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Supreme Court Rules on Venezuelan Migrants' Protected Status

Supreme Court Rules on Venezuelan Migrants' Protected Status

A police officer is seen outside the Supreme Court of the United States on Thursday May 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. Credit - Matt McClain—The Washington Post/Getty Images The Supreme Court on Monday ruled in an emergency order that the Trump Administration can remove legal protections from thousands of Venezuelan migrants, potentially putting them at risk of deportation. The decision will allow the Administration to reverse a decision made under former President Biden to extend Venezuelans' eligibility for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which grants foreign nationals work authorization, protects them from deportation, and allows them to travel. Eligibility for the protections was set to expire for Venezuelans in October 2026, after former Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas extended the 2023 Venezuela TPS designation. But in February, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sought to reverse that extension and make the protections expire this year instead. A San Francisco federal judge barred the Administration from terminating TPS for Venezuelans in a March ruling, citing concerns that the end of the program was "predicated on negative stereotypes." "[T]he Secretary's action threatens to: inflict irreparable harm on hundreds of thousands of persons whose lives, families, and livelihoods will be severely disrupted, cost the United States billions in economic activity, and injure public health and safety in communities throughout the United States. At the same time, the government has failed to identify any real countervailing harm in continuing TPS for Venezuelan beneficiaries," U.S. District Court Judge Ed Chen wrote in his ruling. But the nation's highest court issued a stay on Monday, allowing the Administration's new policy to remain in place while litigation over the decision continues in the lower courts. More than300,000 Venezuelansin the U.S. have TPS. The status does not offer recipients a legal pathway to citizenship. More than adozen countries, including Haiti and Nicaragua, are currently designated for TPS. In March, Noem also moved to cancel TPS protections for Afghanistan. The order says that Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson would have denied the application. The ongoing effort to cancel TPS protections is part of a broader push by the Administration to reshape the U.S. immigration system. A number of immigration policies are tied up in the court system, including others that have been considered by the Supreme Court. The court on Thursdayheard oral argumentsregarding a lawsuit over the Administration's attempt to end birthright citizenship. The following day, justices barred the Administration from deporting immigrants under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, sending a case regarding the wartime law back to a federal appeals court. In the Friday ruling, justices mentioned the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was incorrectly sent to a megaprison in El Salvador due to an "administrative error." The Supreme Court ordered the Administration to facilitate his return to the U.S., but it has so far not complied. Contact usatletters@time.com.

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 19, 2025

Supreme Court Rules on Venezuelan Migrants' Protected Status

Supreme Court Rules on Venezuelan Migrants' Protected Status A police officer is seen outside the Supreme Court of the United States on ...

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Sheriff says 'defective' locks were a key factor in Louisiana jailbreak by 10 men

Sheriff says 'defective' locks were a key factor in Louisiana jailbreak by 10 men

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Just days before 10 menbroke out of a New Orleans jail, officials with the sheriff's office asked for money to fix faulty locks and cell doors deemed a key factor in the escape. As the manhunt for the remainingseven fugitivesstretches into a new week, officials continue to investigate who or what was to blame in a jailbreak that even the escapees labeled as "easy" — in a message scrawled on a wall above the narrow hole they squeezed through. Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said she has long raised concerns about the jail's ongoing "deficiencies," adding that the breakout has "once again highlighted the critical need for repairs and upgrades" to the ailing infrastructure. The men yanked open a cell door, slipped through a hole behind a toilet, scaled a barbed wire fence and fled from the jail early Friday, recorded surveillance video showed. Four days earlier, Jeworski "Jay" Mallet — the Chief of Corrections for the Orleans Justice Center — presented a need for a new lock system during the city's Capital Improvement Plan hearing. Mallet said the current system at the jail, which houses around 1,400 people, was built for a "minimum custody type of inmate." But he classified many at the jail as "high security" inmates who are awaiting trials for violent offenses, including charges such as murder, assault and rape. He said many require a "restrictive housing environment that did not exist" at the jail and, as a result, the sheriff's office has transferred dozens in custody to more secure locations. Mallet went on to say that some of the cell unit doors and locks have been "manipulated" to the point that not only are they not secure, but some can't even be closed properly. Hutson said the men "yanked" on a locked cell door "to pull it off its track." They then squeezed through a hole behind a toilet, exited a loading dock door before climbing a barbed-wire fence using blankets and running across a nearby interstate in early morning darkness. "These are the cells that we keep saying we need to replace at great cost in this facility," Hutson said. Since becoming sheriff in 2022, Hutson said she has complained about the locks at every turn and advocated for additional funding to make the facility more secure. "I wrote a letter to the consent decree judge, to the city council, and everybody else who would listen, and every time I go to budget, I say the exact same thing," Hutson said. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said during a news conference on Sunday that funding for the jail has been "a priority" and that funding has been allocated to the sheriff's office for operating expenses and capital improvements. Bianka Brown, the chief financial officer for the sheriff's office, said the current budget "doesn't support what we need" to ensure critical fixes and upgrades. "Things are being deprived," Brown said of the jail, which for more than a decade has been subject to federal monitoring and a consent decree intended to improve conditions. The jail, which opened in 2015, replaced another facility that had its own history of escapes and violence. While Hutson said the locks played a key role in the escape, there are other crucial elements that officials have outlined; Indications that the escape may have been an inside job, with three sheriff's employees now on suspension; the hole that officials said may have been formed using power tools; a lack of monitoring of the cell pod, as the employee tasked with the job had stepped out to grab food; and law enforcement not being aware of the escape until a morning headcount seven hours after the men fled. Other's have pointed to Hutson being at fault. State Rep. Aimee Adatto Freeman, who represents much of uptown New Orleans, called for sheriff to step down on Monday. "Rather than take accountability, she's pointed fingers elsewhere," Freeman wrote in a statement. "Blaming funding is a deflection--not an excuse." Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry recently announced the state is launching an investigation into who is responsible in the escape. He also directed the state's Department of Corrections to conduct an audit of the jail's compliance with basic correctional standards. "Now there is no excuse for the escape of these violent offenders," said Landry, a tough-on-crime Republican. The governor also requested an inventory of pre-trial detainees or those awaiting sentencing in violent cases at the facility, to consider moving them into state custody. Three of the seven inmates still at large late Monday were convicted of or are facing second-degree murder charges, authorities said.

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 19, 2025

Sheriff says 'defective' locks were a key factor in Louisiana jailbreak by 10 men

Sheriff says 'defective' locks were a key factor in Louisiana jailbreak by 10 men BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Just days before 10 menbro...

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What does the Moody's rating downgrade mean for the economy?

What does the Moody's rating downgrade mean for the economy?

Investors sold off U.S. debt over the weekend after a high-profiledowngradeof the nation's credit, stoking concern about risingborrowing costsas long-term Treasury yields spiked. The trend threatens to drive up interest rates for everything from credit cards to mortgages, while pressing the brakes on economic growth, analysts told ABC News. "If you borrow money, your rate will go up," Jim Bianco, a market analyst at Bianco Research, told ABC News. "Yields pretty much affect everybody." Moody's, a top ratings agency, cut the U.S. credit rating on Friday, dropping it one notch from the top rating of Aaa to a lower classification of Aa1. MORE: Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' passes House Budget Committee vote The credit reassessment at Moody's came years after similar downgrades of U.S. debt at the two other major credit agencies: S&P in 2011 and Fitch in 2023. The latest downgrade arrived at a moment of heightened volatility inbond markets, however. Long-term Treasury yields soared last month in the immediate aftermath of President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs. House Republicans are moving to pass a domestic policy bill that includes broad tax cuts, which risks deepening the $36 trillion U.S. debt, the nonpartisanCongressional Budget Officefound. Callie Cox, chief market strategist at Ritholtz Wealth Management, told clients on Monday that the impact of the Moody's announcement amounted largely to an issue of bad timing. "This was the opposite of a surprise -- it was a long time coming," Cox said. "But it's a headline that came at a wildly inopportune time." The Moody's announcement sent the yield on a 30-year Treasury bond to a high of 5.01% at one point on Monday. Bond yields rise as bond prices fall. When a selloff hits and demand for bonds dries up, it sends bond prices lower. In turn, bond yields move higher. The yield for long-term Treasury bonds helps set interest rates for a host of consumer loans, analysts said. "When you have a credit downgrade, that signals higher risk, which means higher payment to bear that risk," John Sedunov, a finance professor at Villanova University's School of Business, told ABC News. "For consumers, whatever you might borrow to finance -- cars, houses, vacations -- this makes it all more expensive," Sedunov added. When interest rates rise, businesses also face higher borrowing costs, making it less likely that firms would move forward with an office expansion or round of hiring, analysts said. In turn, such conditions risk an economic slowdown. "It can put downward pressure on the economy if interest rates get high enough," Bianco said. "The big question is: How high do rates have to go?" Still, the volatility in the bond market may ease depending on the path forward for government debt and inflation, analysts said. The previous credit downgrades at Fitch and S&P stoked similar investor fears, but the U.S. averted a recession in the aftermath of each announcement. Stock traders on Monday appeared to shrug off the credit downgrade. The S&P 500 fell more than 1% in early trading, before recovering nearly all of the losses. The Dow and Nasdaq also moved lower early in the day, but each later turned upward. By midday, the 30-year Treasury yield had dropped from a high above 5% to level hovering near 4.92%. If the U.S. continues to deepen its debt, the federal government will need to spend a growing share of its budget on interest payments, analysts said. The rising borrowing costs could hike interest payments, which in turn may increase the interest payments, causing a self-perpetuating financial spiral. MORE: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to buy 23andMe for $256M Policymakers have faced a growing national debt for decades, but the Moody's downgrade may serve as a wake-up call, some analysts said. "This is a major symbolic move as Moody's were the last of the major rating agencies to have the U.S. at the top rating," Deutsche Bank analysts said in a client note shared with ABC News. "One of the most widely acknowledged things in financial markets is the unsustainable path of the U.S. national debt," Deutsche Bank analysts said. "The big unknown is when it all tips over." What does the Moody's rating downgrade mean for the economy?originally appeared onabcnews.go.com

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 19, 2025

What does the Moody's rating downgrade mean for the economy?

What does the Moody's rating downgrade mean for the economy? Investors sold off U.S. debt over the weekend after a high-profiledowngrade...

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Putin, Trump discussed 'impressive' prospects for US-Russia ties, Kremlin says

Putin, Trump discussed 'impressive' prospects for US-Russia ties, Kremlin says

By Dmitry Antonov MOSCOW (Reuters) -Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump discussed what the U.S. leader called "impressive" prospects for ties between their two countries in a phone call on Monday, the Kremlin said, adding that Russia and the United States are working on a new prisoner swap. Putin said after the call that Russia would work with Ukraine on a memorandum about a future peace accord. Trump said Russia and Ukraine would immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that the two leaders had not discussed a timeline for a ceasefire in Ukraine, but that Trump had stressed his interest in reaching agreements quickly. "The presidents also spoke in some detail about the future of our relations, and President Trump, I can say, spoke quite emotionally about the prospects for these relations," Ushakov said. "He specifically emphasized that the prospects for bilateral relations after the Ukrainian conflict is resolved look impressive, and that as the president of the United States, he sees Russia as one of America's most important partners in trade and economic matters." Ushakov said the two countries were working out details of an exchange of prisoners jailed in Russia and the United States involving nine people on each side, although he did not say when it might take place. Trump and Putin are both in favour of meeting in person and will assign their teams to work on preparing a meeting, Ushakov said, but no venue has been agreed. Asked if the lifting of U.S. sanctions had been discussed, Ushakov said: "You know, Trump mentioned that the Senate, in principle, has a bill ready regarding new sanctions. But he himself is not a supporter of sanctions, but rather of reaching some agreements." Ushakov stressed the warm nature of the conversation, saying the two men addressed each other by their first names and Putin congratulated Trump on the birth of his latest grandson. "Trump said: Vladimir, you can pick up the phone at any time, I will be happy to answer, I will be happy to talk to you," Ushakov said. (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 19, 2025

Putin, Trump discussed 'impressive' prospects for US-Russia ties, Kremlin says

Putin, Trump discussed 'impressive' prospects for US-Russia ties, Kremlin says By Dmitry Antonov MOSCOW (Reuters) -Vladimir Putin a...

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