President Donald Trump remains confident in White House doctors despite the possibility that they missed a prostate cancer diagnosis for former President Joe Biden while he was in office, the White House says.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt made the statement during a press briefing on Monday morning, saying Trump remains in good health. Speculation has exploded in the days since Biden he has stage 5 metastatic prostate cancer this weekend, a diagnosis that typically takes years to develop.
‘White House doctors may have missed the early stages of his prostate cancer. So is President Trump worried about the quality of care that presidents get here?’ Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked.
‘Not as far as President Trump is concerned. The White House physician we have here is phenomenal,’ Leavitt responded. ‘The team of physicians that take care of the president, particularly at Walter Reed Medical Center, are great. The president had his physical recently, as you know, he had, perfect results. He’s in very good shape.’
‘I think those of you who traveled to the Middle East with us last week can attest to the president’s endurance. And by the way, I will add, we returned home from a very long and tiring trip last week, and on Saturday, where was the president? In the Oval Office, working all day. He doesn’t stop. He doesn’t quit. He’s in great health and he trusts his physicians,’ she added.
Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump said he were ‘saddened’ to learn of Biden’s diagnosis and wished him a ‘fast and successful recovery’ in a post on social media this weekend.
‘Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis,’ Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. ‘We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.’
Leavitt told reporters that she does not believe Trump has spoken with Biden since the announcement, but she said he would be open to speaking with him.
Biden’s office confirmed on Sunday that he was diagnosed with an ‘aggressive form’ of prostate cancer.
‘Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms,’ Biden’s team shared in a statement. ‘On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.’
‘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,’ the statement said.
Biden, 82, remains the oldest U.S. president.
Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report