Biden Says Cancer Will Limit Promotion of Memoir Due Out 17 November

Former President Joe Biden said he will undertake only limited promotion of his upcoming White House memoir because of advancing cancer. He announced the decision in a post on X on Sunday night.

The book, titled Promise Me America, is scheduled for publication on 17 November. The Guardian describes it as Biden's account of his one-term presidency, which began in 2021.

Biden was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer in May 2025, four months after he left office. In his post, he said he was diagnosed with cancer while writing the memoir, and that his doctors continue to be encouraged by how he has responded to treatment. His post on X gave no further details of his treatment.

He said the number of speaking engagements he can take on to support the book will be limited. His condition has not stopped him, he said, but it sometimes slows him down, so he will not be able to hold as many conversations about the book as he had hoped. He said he is hopeful the words on the page will speak for themselves.

According to Biden's post, the memoir covers his years as president, the challenges he faced, and the decisions he made and why he made them. It addresses American identity, what the nation stands for, and America's role in the world. He said it reflects his faith in the American people and in the American experiment in self-governance and democracy.