Former U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips has suggested ex-President Joe Biden's recent cancer diagnosis was timed to deflect growing criticism from fellow Democrats over his decision to run for re-election, according to the New York Times.

Phillips, who challenged Biden for the Democratic nomination for president last year, was one of the first Democrats in Congress to question whether Biden, now 82, was up for the job due to his age and health.

Biden released a statement over the weekend indicating that he has an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. The statement noted the former president and his family are "reviewing treatment options with his physicians."

In recent days, Biden and his team have been deflecting criticism sparked by a new book by CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson, which explores what they call his deterioration throughout his presidency and how aides and his family sought to cover up the decline.

In addition, audio was released this weekend from Biden's 2023 interview with Robert Hur, the special counsel who investigated how Biden handled classified documents. Axios reported that it features Biden's halting voice and difficulty recalling dates and details.

Ultimately, Biden abandoned his bid for the presidency under pressure from Democratic leaders, giving rise to Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign with Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.

"I don't think it's coincidental that this was announced this week," Phillips told the New York Times, regarding Biden's diagnosis. "It's hard to comport otherwise."

Biden's representatives declined to comment to the New York Times.

Phillips, who represented Minnesota's Third Congressional District from 2019 to 2025, did not return a request for comment from the Minnesota Star Tribune.