Former US Senator Ben Sasse has revealed that he has been diagnosed with metastasised stage-four pancreatic cancer, sharing the news in a deeply personal message posted on social media on December 23. The 53-year-old former lawmaker described the illness as a “death sentence,” while reflecting on mortality with candour, faith and dark humour.
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In his statement, Sasse said the diagnosis came just days earlier and acknowledged the severity of advanced pancreatic cancer. Despite the prognosis, he stressed that he intends to keep fighting, pointing to rapid advances in medical science, including immunotherapy, and emphasising that the process of living matters even in the face of terminal illness.
Sasse noted that his family is approaching the challenge with resilience, honesty and gallows humour. He wrote that while death is inevitable for everyone, the time leading up to it can still be lived with meaning, purpose and connection. As Christmas approaches, he said his family remains focused on gratitude, peace and spending time together.
Remember he served during the Covid plandemic, the Black Lives Matter terrorist attacks, the stolen election, the border invasion, all the trans craziness, and he also paid for it all with his votes in Congress. Ben Sassehole let all this happen and paid for it, and now he’s got… pic.twitter.com/U8JU8JhZpI
— Nebraska Journal Herald (@NEJournalHerald) December 24, 2025
A prominent Republican figure, Sasse served as a US senator from Nebraska and was known for his outspoken criticism of former president Donald Trump, particularly following the January 6 Capitol riot. He was one of only seven Republican senators to vote to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial, a move that set him apart within his party.
In January 2023, Sasse resigned from the Senate to become president of the University of Florida. He later stepped down from that role to care for his wife, Melissa, after she was diagnosed with epilepsy. The couple has three children.
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Concluding his message, Sasse expressed appreciation for the support of family, friends and well-wishers, while acknowledging the difficult road ahead. He said that although his family faces the reality of treatments and uncertainty, they are choosing to centre their lives around love, faith and hope during the holiday season.