Tue Dec 23 15:20:00 UTC 2025: Summary:

Former Nebraska Senator and University of Florida President Ben Sasse has announced he has been diagnosed with stage-four pancreatic cancer. The 53-year-old shared the news on X, acknowledging the diagnosis is terminal. Sasse, who served in the Senate from 2015 to 2023 and later became president of UF before stepping down due to family health concerns, is married with three children. He expressed the difficulty of the news both personally and as a father and husband, while finding solace in his Christian faith during the Advent season. Sasse, a conservative, was known for occasionally criticizing Donald Trump, including voting to convict him in his impeachment trial.

News Article:

Former Senator Ben Sasse Announces Terminal Cancer Diagnosis

Washington, D.C. – December 23, 2025 – Former Nebraska Senator and past president of the University of Florida, Ben Sasse, revealed on Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with stage-four pancreatic cancer. In a post on X, the 53-year-old Republican described the diagnosis as terminal.

“This is a tough note to write… Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die,” Sasse wrote.

Sasse served in the U.S. Senate from 2015 to 2023, resigning to become president of the University of Florida. He stepped down from that role in July 2024 to support his wife through her own health issues.

Married to Melissa and father to three children, Sasse expressed the personal difficulty of the diagnosis, stating, “This is hard for someone wired to work and build, but harder still as a husband and a dad.” He added that he found comfort in his Christian faith during the Advent season.

During his time in the Senate, Sasse, while generally conservative, was occasionally critical of then-President Donald Trump. He voted to convict Trump during his impeachment trial following the January 6th Capitol riot.

Born in Nebraska to a high school teacher and football coach, Sasse is a graduate of Harvard, Oxford, St. John’s College, and Yale University, holding a PhD in history.

This is a developing story.

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