WASHINGTON, United States – Former US President Joe Biden has disclosed that his cancer treatment will limit his planned public appearances ahead of the release of his presidential memoir, Promise Me, America, scheduled for November 17, 2026.
In a message posted on X on Sunday, November 8, Biden said his doctors remained encouraged by his response to treatment but acknowledged that the illness sometimes affected his ability to maintain his usual activities.
“Some days are better than others. It hasn’t stopped me. But sometimes it slows me down,” he wrote.
The former president said the situation meant he would not be able to hold as many conversations and promotional engagements about the book as he had initially hoped.
He nevertheless expressed confidence that the memoir would communicate his experiences and reflections without requiring an extensive publicity campaign.
“I’m hopeful the words on the page speak for themselves,” Biden added.
Biden Shares Personal Update Ahead of Book Release
Biden revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer while working on the memoir, describing the disease as one familiar to millions of Americans and their families.
He thanked supporters for their prayers, encouragement and well wishes, saying the support had meant a great deal to him, his wife Jill Biden and their family.
Biden was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer in May 2025, shortly after leaving the White House. His office said at the time that the cancer was hormone-sensitive, allowing for effective management.
In his latest update, Biden did not provide further details about his treatment or disclose a change in his medical condition.
His announcement instead focused on how the illness had affected his plans to engage readers ahead of the memoir’s publication.
What Biden Plans to Reveal in ‘Promise Me, America’
The 480-page memoir, published by Little, Brown and Company, is expected to revisit Biden’s four years in the White House, including the major challenges his administration faced and the decisions he made while in office.
The book will also address his decision to seek a second presidential term in 2024 and his eventual withdrawal from the race, which cleared the way for then-Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic presidential candidate.
Biden has said the publication will explain not only the decisions he made but also the reasoning behind them, while reflecting on America’s identity, democratic principles and its role in international affairs.
The publisher has scheduled the release for November 17, two weeks after the 2026 US midterm elections.
The memoir’s publication will come three days before Biden’s 84th birthday on November 20.
Biden Draws on Father’s Advice in Message to Supporters
Despite the limitations imposed by his treatment, Biden said he intended to keep working and drew inspiration from advice his father gave him years ago.
“Champ, when you get knocked down, get up,” he recalled his father telling him.
He described the advice as a lesson for both himself and the United States, before reaffirming his belief in the country’s founding ideals.
