Vice President JD Vance sparks backlash over 'disgusting' comments about Joe Biden's cancer diagnosis

JD Vance has found himself in hot water today (19 May) after issuing a controversial response to news of Joe Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis.

Biden's team made the sad announcement of his latest health woes last night with an emotional statement, describing the 82-year-old former president's variation of the disease as 'aggressive'.

"Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms," the statement began. "On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterised by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone."

The official announcement continued: "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."

Biden has been diagnosed with cancer (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Not long after Biden's news hit global headlines, current president Donald Trump issued a statement.

"Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis," the 78-year-old Republican frontman penned on his personal social media site, Truth Social. "We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery."

President Trump's right-hand man Vance was also approached by press from C-SPAN on the matter.

Following his return flight from the Vatican - where he attended Pope Leo XIV's inauguration - to the US, the 40-year-old VP was asked by reporters if he had any thoughts to share on Biden's diagnosis.

"Yeah, look, I mean, first of all, of course, we wish the best for the former president's health," the right-wing politician began.

"Erm, it sounds pretty serious, but hopefully he makes the right recovery."

Vance continued of his presidential predecessor, however: "I will say, whether the right time to have this conversation is now or at some point in the future, we really do need to be honest about whether the former president was capable of doing the job.

"You can separate the desire for him to have the right health outcome, with the 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."

The father-of-three went on to insist: "That's not politics. That's not because I disagreed with him on policy.

"That's because I don't think he was in good enough health. In some ways, I blame him less than the people around him."

Vance then questioned: "Why didn't the American people have a better sense of his health picture? Why didn't the American people have more accurate information about what he was actually dealing with? This is serious stuff.

"This is a guy who carries out the nuclear football for the world's largest nuclear arsenal. This is not child's play.

"We can pray for good health but also recognise that, if you're not in good enough health to do the job, you shouldn't be doing the job."

As we say, America's VP has since been slammed for his 'disgusting' comments on Biden's diagnosis, with many critics believing it wasn't the appropriate opportunity to throw shade at the country's former leader.

Trump also issued a response to Biden's news (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

"Unbelievably disgusting stuff here from JD Vance pouncing on the opportunity to turn Biden’s cancer diagnosis into a political attack," one social media user hit out on X (formerly Twitter).

Another penned: "I hope all of you pay one way or another for your nasty words!"

"'I feel bad for Joe Biden' would have been enough," a third insisted.

A fourth continued: "This man is a bigger ass than Trump and that’s hard to achieve!"

"This is pretty disgusting, even for him," another agreed.