Former President Joe Biden has raised fresh concerns about his health after he was seen with a bandaged, bloody-looking wound on his head while greeting people outside a church in Delaware this week.
The 82-year-old, who has largely kept a low profile since leaving office, appeared frail in the footage, which was shared by Inside Edition. The clip shows Biden smiling and shaking hands with locals as he exited a service in Rehoboth, Delaware, though the large gash across his head immediately drew attention.
Mohs Surgery for Skin Cancer
Biden’s team moved quickly to clarify the source of the injury. A representative confirmed to The New York Post on Thursday that the wound resulted from Mohs surgery, a procedure commonly used to treat forms of skin cancer by removing layers of tissue until no cancer cells are detected.
The appearance marks at least the second time in recent weeks that Biden has been spotted with a bandage. In late August, he wore one on his head while attending the funeral of former Delaware governor and U.S. Representative Mike Castle at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Church in Greenville.
Mohs surgery is often performed on areas where precision is critical — like the face and scalp — to minimize scarring while ensuring all cancerous cells are removed. Recovery can leave visible wounds or stitches, which appear to explain Biden’s recent bandaged appearances.
A Summer of Health Struggles
The sight of the injury has amplified concerns about Biden’s broader health. In May, doctors diagnosed the former president with an aggressive form of prostate cancer after discovering a small nodule and evidence of cancer cells spreading to his bones.
The news was sobering, even for a man who has faced multiple health challenges in his decades-long public career. Biden’s representatives have maintained that he is undergoing active treatment and remains optimistic, though details of his regimen and long-term prognosis have not been made fully public.
Adding to the difficult summer, his daughter Ashley Biden recently spoke about her own struggles, revealing she has gone through a divorce while helping her father through his cancer battle. “One of the hardest summers of my life,” she told reporters.
Political and Public Reaction
Though Biden is no longer in office, his health remains a topic of national interest. Once the oldest sitting president in U.S. history, his ability to manage the rigors of leadership was often a subject of partisan debate during his tenure. Now, as he navigates both prostate and skin cancer treatments, his physical appearance is closely scrutinized.
The video of Biden in Delaware circulated widely on social media, where both supporters and critics weighed in. Some expressed sympathy, wishing him well in his recovery. Others speculated on his fitness, reviving questions about age, transparency, and medical disclosure for public figures.
On MSNBC, former press secretary Jen Psaki raised questions about how Biden’s health updates are managed, contrasting his openness with Trump’s past secrecy around medical issues. “Why did Trump spend a week hiding after his own health scare?” Psaki asked, pointing to what she called a double standard in coverage.
Looking Ahead
Biden’s medical team has not indicated any changes to his treatment plan, and his representatives continue to stress that the skin cancer procedure was successful. Yet the images of a visibly weakened Biden, combined with the knowledge of his ongoing cancer battle, underscore the fragility of his condition.
As one of the most consequential political figures of the past half-century, Biden’s health remains both a personal matter and a public spectacle. For supporters, it is a painful reminder of the toll of age and illness. For critics, it is ammunition in ongoing debates about leadership and transparency.
For now, Biden appears determined to continue engaging with the public — scars and all. But as one observer in Delaware noted while watching him leave the church: “You can see he’s fighting hard.”
