The author of the controversial cartoon “Dilbert” has asked for help in his battle with cancer. President Donald Trump said, “That’s what I intend to do.”
Scott Adams, who writes cartoons that satirize office life, revealed in May that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer that had spread to his bones. Shortly after former President Joe Biden revealed he was battling prostate cancer, he shared news of his diagnosis.
In a Nov. 2 X post, the 68-year-old Adams pointed out that he was going to ask the president to “save my life. He said he would help me if I needed it.”
In a Nov. 2 post to Truth Social, Trump shared a screenshot of Adams’ original X post and promised to get involved, writing, “I’m going to be in!” Here’s what you need to know about Adams.
Why is Scott Adams controversial?
Scott Adams, a Windham, New York native and California resident, created Dilbert, a comic strip that poked fun at office culture, which debuted in 1989. He often writes about social, political and psychological situations in a satirical manner.
In February 2023, Adams’ cartoon “Dilbert” was suspended by many newspapers, including the USA TODAY Network, after it described black people as part of a “hate group” that white people should “run away from.” On his YouTube channel, Real Coffee with Scott Adams, he also repeated his “advice” for white people to “stay completely away from black people.”
At the time, Elon Musk showed support for Adams in a post on the Current X Platform, agreeing with a post that said Adams’ comments were “not good” but had “an element of truth.”
Reuters reported that Adams later said the media had missed the context of his comments and that they were hyperbolic in nature, saying he disavowed himself as a racist.
‘Dilbert’ author asks President Trump for cooperation in cancer treatment
Adams announced his cancer diagnosis shortly after Biden made it public in May, saying he might only make it through the summer.
The cartoonist told his followers that he was “deteriorating rapidly” and that medical professionals had approved his request to receive Pulvict, a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat advanced prostate cancer. But Adams said he requested Trump’s intervention because the health care provider “made a mistake in the schedule for administering a simple IV and can’t seem to fix it.”
“I am going to ask President Trump if he can respond to Kaiser in Northern California and schedule it for Monday,” Adams wrote. “Then I’ll have a chance to stay on this planet a little longer.”
In a statement provided to USA TODAY, Kaiser Permanente said, “Mr. Adams’ oncology team is collaborating closely on the next steps in Mr. Adams’ cancer treatment, which are already underway. Since it was approved by the FDA three years ago, Kaiser Permanente’s nuclear medicine and medical oncology experts have worked with more than 150 Lu-177 patients in Northern California alone. “We have treated patients with PSMA (Pulvic). We know this drug and this disease.”
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. responded to Adams’ post, saying that the request had already been sent to Trump.
“Scott. How can I contact you?” Kennedy wrote in response to X. “The president wants to help.”
By Monday, November 3, Adams wrote to X that he was “very grateful.” He also said in another reply to X, “I’ve got what I need right now.”
The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Adams’ request for assistance.
What did Donald Trump say about Biden’s cancer diagnosis?
Biden was diagnosed with an “malignant form” of prostate cancer that spreads to the bones on May 16, a press secretary announced on May 18. Biden recently completed radiation therapy for the condition and is undergoing hormone therapy.
In response to Biden’s diagnosis, President Trump said in a statement on behalf of himself and first lady Melania Trump: “Our hearts and prayers go out to Jill and her family, and we wish Joe a speedy recovery.”
Vice President J.D. Vance also questioned Biden’s ability to serve as president following news of his diagnosis, saying more people should have known about the cancer.
Mr Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race after a disastrous debate with Mr Trump, raising insurmountable questions about his mental acuity. Reports detail the White House’s efforts to cover up Biden’s aging decline since he left office. The House Oversight and Accountability Committee has launched an investigation into his mental state amid allegations of a cover-up. After Biden’s cancer diagnosis, Donald Trump Jr. suggested, without evidence, that the cancer was “another cover-up.”
Contributors: Zach Anderson, Joey Garrison, USA TODAY
Kinsey Crowley is a Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Please contact kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky (@kinseycrowley.bsky.social).
