Former Sen. Ben Sasse reveals Stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis

Former GOP Sen. Ben Sasse announced Tuesday he has terminal cancer, calling it a “death sentence.”

“This is a tough note to write, but since a bunch of you have started to suspect something, I’ll cut to the chase: Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die,” the Nebraskan said in a lengthy social media post.

The father of three said he “temporarily stepped back from public life” over the past year after sharing concerns about his wife’s health as she was diagnosed with epilepsy and was struggling with memory issues.

Now he’s sharing his terminal diagnosis.

With less time than he would prefer, Mr. Sasse said, “This is hard for someone wired to work and build, but harder still as a husband and a dad.”

“I can’t begin to describe how great my people are,” he continued. “During the past year, as we’d temporarily stepped back from public life and built new family rhythms, Melissa and I have grown even closer — and that on top of three decades of the best friend a man could ever have.”

Mr. Sasse, 53, was president of Midland University in Nebraska before being elected to the Senate in 2014. After winning reelection in 2020, he resigned from the upper chamber in 2023 to become president of the University of Florida. 

In the Senate, he was one of a handful of Republicans to speak out against President Trump during his first term.

He was also one of the few GOP senators who voted guilty in Mr. Trump’s second impeachment trial linked to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Mr. Sasse’s former colleagues offered their condolences and support for his diagnosis.

“Thanks for reminding us, Ben: It is how we live, not how long we live, that counts,” Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican, said.

Mr. Sasse said that even with cancer, he is not going down without a fight.