A Department of Justice official has suggested Jill Biden could face criminal charges if she helped to cover up her husband's health decline during his presidency.
Leo Terrell, who works in the department's civil rights division as senior counsel to the assistant attorney general, made the suggestion in a post on the social media platform X.
His comments come amid growing speculation that former President Biden's cancer diagnosis and declining cognitive ability were kept secret from the public by those closest to him during his time in office.
On Sunday, Joe Biden's office announced that he has an "aggressive" form of prostate cancer that has metastasised to the bone.
A senior counsel in the US Department's civil rights division has accused Jill Biden of 'elder abuse'
PAHis spokesman said that the former President sought medical attention following experiencing urinary symptoms.
Some have suggested the sudden diagnosis could have been spotted if it had been made public.
Responding to a post on X suggesting Jill Biden knew of her husband's cancer during the presidency, Terrell wrote: "Elder abuse! Criminal charges??"
Joe Biden was given a clean bill of health from his doctor last year, who noted there were "no new concerns" with the 46th President's physical and mental condition.
Donald Trump fuelled speculation that Joe Biden's cancer diagnosis may have been covered up, saying he was "surprised" the public was not told earlier.
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Suggesting that the annual screening undertaken by Biden when he was president should have picked up signs of the disease, Trump stated: "If you take a look, it's the same doctor that said Joe was cognitively fine.
"There are things going on that the public wasn't informed of."
Trump, who spent much of his election campaign questioning Biden's cognitive fitness, said he was "saddened" to hear of his predecessor's diagnosis.
Allegations that those closest to the former President shielded the public from the extent of his mental decline while serving as president have been laid bare in the book "Original Sin", which was published on Tuesday.
Former President Joe Biden, 82, has been diagnosed with an 'aggressive' form of prostate cancer
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According to authors Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, the president forgot the name of actor George Clooney and was closely managed by his wife.
The book claims Jill Biden allegedly protected the president from criticism and frequently finished his thoughts for him.
However, the newly released book does not mention or allude to Biden's recent cancer diagnosis.
