U.S. President Donald Trump has issued an unexpected message of support for his political rival, Joe Biden, following the former president’s announcement of a late-stage prostate cancer diagnosis.
However, Trump also used the occasion to sharply criticize Biden’s former aides, accusing them of treason and mismanagement during his time in office.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump acknowledged Biden’s declining health and cognitive challenges, asserting that others within the administration exploited his condition to push controversial policies — particularly on immigration.
“The Joe Biden that everybody knew would never allow drug dealers, gang members, and the mentally insane to come into our Country totally unchecked and unvetted,” Trump wrote.
“It was not his idea to open the border and almost destroy our country. It was the people that knew he was cognitively impaired, and that took over the autopen.”
Trump claimed that these unnamed officials orchestrated key decisions while bypassing Biden’s direct involvement, calling it “treason at the highest level.”
He also called for severe consequences for those allegedly responsible, insisting their actions have inflicted significant damage on the country.
Congressman James Comer, Chair of the Government Reform Committee, added weight to Trump’s assertions.
Comer claimed the White House had blocked his efforts to subpoena three senior aides—Annie Tomasini, Anthony Bernal, and Ashley Williams—regarding their alleged use of autopen to sign documents on Biden’s behalf.
A conservative watchdog group, the Oversight Project, also weighed in, stating: “WHOEVER CONTROLLED THE AUTOPEN CONTROLLED THE PRESIDENCY,” suggesting Biden’s signature was routinely delegated to staffers.
Despite his pointed criticisms, Trump struck a notably different tone in referencing Biden personally.
He described Biden in the past as “a very nice man,” and recalled Biden calling him after the 2024 assassination attempt. “He couldn’t have been nicer,” Trump said at the time.
The former president has resumed a strict immigration agenda since returning to office, quickly declaring a national emergency at the southern border.
He has pledged to end Biden-era policies such as the CBP One app and sponsorship programs for migrants from select countries, which he argues have contributed to illegal migration.
Biden’s cancer diagnosis has added new urgency to ongoing political debates. A White House spokesperson revealed that Biden was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer—rated 9 on the Gleason scale—after an abnormal nodule was discovered.
The disease has reportedly spread to his bones. The spokesperson confirmed Biden had not undergone a prostate screening since 2014 and only became aware of his condition last week.
Trump, while offering sympathy, expressed skepticism about the timeline of the diagnosis. “It takes a long time to get to that situation,” he said. “I’m surprised the public wasn’t notified a long time ago.”