On May 16, 2025, a 4:24-minute audio clip from former President Joe Biden’s 2023 interviews with Special Counsel Robert Hur, titled “Biden-Hur Interview: Biden Struggles to Recall When Son Beau Died,” went viral, racking up over 599K views on YouTube within just three days, which was uploaded by Axios.
The headlines focused not only on Biden’s emotional struggle to remember the date of his son Beau’s death but also on the larger issue of his handling of classified documents.
Then, just two days later, on May 18, 2025, Biden’s office announced he’d been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.
The one-two punch of the leaked audio and health news has sparked a heated debate about Biden’s mental fitness, transparency, and leadership.
In the clip, Biden struggles to remember that his son Beau passed away in 2015, which has greatly affected his public life.
He shares that President Obama once surprisingly discouraged him from running for president.
The audio, which came over a year after the interview transcripts were released in March 2024, paints a raw, straightforward picture of Biden struggling to remember where he kept classified documents during a discussion.
The clip’s release was shocking because, unlike the polished transcripts, the audio revealed Biden’s hesitations and confusion.
Special Counsel Hur described Biden as a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” and this audio seems to back that up.
For many, it raised tough questions: Was Biden sharp enough to lead the country? And if not, who was pulling the strings behind the scenes?
Just Two Days After The Audio Dropped, Biden’s Office Announced Devastating News, Creating A Perfect Storm
The former president had been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.
He’s now consulting with his family about treatment options, a moment that’s both deeply human and politically charged.
At first, the diagnosis drew bipartisan sympathy after all, cancer doesn’t care about party lines.
But in today’s divided world, this personal tragedy quickly became a source of controversy.
Some, like Donald Trump Jr. and voices on X, suggested the timing of the cancer announcement was “strategic,” a way to shift focus from the damaging audio.
Others, including conservative commentators on Fox News and Newsmax, doubled down, claiming the audio exposed a long-standing “cover-up” of Biden’s mental and physical decline.
They pointed to moments in the clip where Biden couldn’t recall key details, like the year Donald Trump was elected, as evidence that he wasn’t fully in control during his presidency.
The Leaked Audio And Biden’s Cancer Diagnosis Have Started A Heated And Complex Blame Game
Some critics have focused on Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, accusing him of hiding the former president’s health issues.
Meet Kevin C. O'Connor. The most incompetent and/or most corrupt doctor (excluding Fauci, of course) in America. pic.twitter.com/HPgsUp4rka
— Adamus (@HicEstAdamus) May 19, 2025
Some even speculate that O’Connor downplayed or mishandled Biden’s prostate cancer testing, though a veteran presidential health reporter with 53 years of experience says there’s no public evidence to support this claim.
Vice President JD Vance joined the battle, pointing fingers at Biden’s inner circle.
“I Blame Him Less Than I Blame the People Around Him. 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?”
Via Facebook
Michael LaRosa, a former press secretary for Jill Biden, added fuel to the fire by admitting the White House was “allergic to transparency.”
People on X expressed similar views, with some calling the situation a scandal “bigger than Watergate.”
Some people say that unknown individuals may have influenced Biden’s policies while he faced challenges.
On the flip side, some liberals argue that audio is a distraction, a way to drag Biden back into the spotlight while overshadowing current issues, such as President Trump’s ongoing term.
They point out that memory lapses aren’t uncommon, especially under the stress of a high-stakes interview, and that the audio doesn’t reveal anything entirely new since the transcripts were already public.
Social Media, especially X, Has Been A Battleground For Reactions
Conservative users have shared memes and posts, claiming the audio shows Biden was a “puppet” during his presidency.
They covered up his dementia and cancer, making him the perfect puppet. Thirsty for power and willing to sell his soul, that’s the true legacy of Joe Biden.
— Mike Talks Politics 🇺🇸 (@miketalks47) May 20, 2025
Others, however, show kindness, noting that memory lapses and health struggles don’t erase Biden’s decades of public service.
Best wishes to @JoeBiden following the announcement that he's undergoing a battle with cancer. Joe Biden did a lot of good for America in his decades of public service, and his presidency will be remembered for much-needed improvements to our nation's infrastructure. Keep your… pic.twitter.com/ih7ZtzuNE1
— StageIVTesla.com (@StageIVTesla) May 19, 2025
The debate has spilled into mainstream media, with outlets like USA Today expressing frustration over sensed “lies” from Biden’s team about his health.
As Biden goes through his cancer treatment, questions from the leaked audio will likely stay. Was there a cover-up? Did his team put power ahead of honesty? Or is this just a blown-up story for political gain? The truth is probably more complicated than either side wants to admit.
Right now, the audio and Biden’s health give us a chance to consider more than one man’s legacy.
This highlights how we discuss aging, illness, and leadership in a judgmental world. While the audio raises concerns, we should remember he is a person facing a tough challenge.
