Aug. 6, 2026, 5:04 p.m. ET
Former first lady Jill Biden said she noticed a troubling bedtime tendency that may have foreshadowed former President Joe Biden’s aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis: he would use the bathroom as many as seven times at night.
Jill Biden shared the details during an interview Wednesday, Aug. 5, on SiriusXM’s “Let’s Talk Off Camera With Kelly Ripa,” saying she had previously raised concerns about her husband’s frequent nighttime trips to White House physicians.
“I thought it was addressed,” Jill said, recalling that she believed the issue had been evaluated while her husband was president.
However, after Biden left the White House in January 2025 and the issue continued, Jill said she urged him to seek additional medical care.
“But when it continued when we got out of the White House, I said, ‘Joe, we’ve got to go up to Jeff in Philly – something’s wrong,’” she said.
Biden, 83, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer in May 2025 after experiencing urinary symptoms, and doctors discovered a nodule on his prostate. His cancer had already spread to his bones by the time it was detected, according to a statement from his office.
Jill Biden says cancer treatment is ongoing
Jill Biden said her husband’s cancer is something he will continue managing because it metastasized before it was discovered.
“We have to be mindful of it every three months, testing and medicines,” she told Ripa. “And anybody who’s gone through this cancer journey – and I’ve been through it many times with members of my family, of course with Beau – it’s constant. It’s daily. And I think it’s challenging.”
Biden’s oldest son, Beau Biden, died in 2015 at age 46 after battling brain cancer.
In a previous interview with CBS’ “Sunday Morning,” Jill said it was “shocking” to learn of the diagnosis after Biden underwent regular evaluations in the White House. She said she was told that, based on recommendations from the American Urological Association, routine prostate cancer screenings are not generally recommended for men over 70 because the disease can grow slowly.
Biden says he is responding well to treatment
Shortly after his diagnosis was announced, Biden said he was “feeling good” and that doctors expected his treatment to be effective, The Independent reported.
“The prognosis is good, we’re working on it,” Biden told reporters in May 2025. “It’s all a matter of taking a pill, one particular pill, for the next six weeks. And the expectation is we’re going to be able to beat this.”
Biden later provided another health update, saying he was receiving treatment and that it was going well. His treatment has included radiation and hormone therapy, which he began in October 2025.
What to know about prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men other than non-melanoma skin cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 in 8 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.
The disease is often treatable when caught early, but cancer that spreads beyond the prostate can be more difficult to manage. Treatment options can include surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, chemotherapy and other approaches depending on the stage and characteristics of the cancer.
Contributing: USA TODAY reporter Zac Anderson
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com or on X @athompsonUSAT.
