Trump's Age Is On Everyone's Lips After Biden Backs Out Of Presidential Race
After Joe Biden decided he would no longer seek a second presidential term, momentum has quickly gathered around Vice President Kamala Harris. Even though she's not officially Donald Trump's opponent since the Democratic Convention has not yet occurred, Biden's absence altered some of the previous talking points in the campaign. Previously, Biden was the candidate who had more age-related criticisms directed at him. In the past, when speaking to his supporters, Trump pushed this narrative by offering a derisive parody of Biden. Trump also reacted to Biden's dropout by denigrating his abilities. However, now that the MAGA leader has moved into the spot of oldest candidate, Trump's facing similar age questions, including a sleepy display at the 2024 Republican National Convention.
On X (formerly Twitter), some users have posted photos of Trump in a red MAGA hat at outdoor campaign events, along with entreaties to focus on Trump's age. One of these even shows a split screen that contrasts Trump with a photo of a smiling, polished looking Harris.
Republicans wanted to talk about age?
Let's talk about age. pic.twitter.com/qNvxyFF70g
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) July 21, 2024
Trump is only a few years younger than Biden, but he's 19 years older than Harris. While past Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos polls showed a majority of voters were dissatisfied with both Biden and Trump's ages, concerns were 25% higher for Biden. Now, a July 22-23 2024 Reuters-Ipsos poll has shown a major change with Harris in the mix. Not only did a slight majority think Trump's age was a dealbreaker, a majority also deemed Harris "mentally sharp and able to deal with challenges," according to Newsweek.
Trump's age and health have generated questions in the past
Concurrent with criticism about his age, Donald Trump is also facing concerns about his health. Previously, this information has been sparse, and he isn't obligated to share it during the campaign. In 2015, his physician at the time, Dr. Harold Bornstein, released a letter extolling Trump's health. However, years later, Bornstein asserted that the document was Trump's creation, causing questions about the accuracy of the information. "He dictated that whole letter," Bornstein divulged to CNN in May 2018. "It's like the movie 'Fargo': It takes the truth and moves it in a different direction."
Data released during Trump's presidency pointed to heart disease and high cholesterol, both of which can be managed with medications and diet/lifestyle changes. During the 2024 campaign, however, some individuals pointed to a potentially more concerning issue: Trump's cognitive abilities. For instance, after naming Jamie Dimon on his shortlist for a potential cabinet position, Trump later appeared to forget his earlier statement. This isn't the first time Trump's forgotten a name or been mixed up. For instance, in fall 2023, Trump incorrectly claimed that Barack Obama was his opponent in the 2016 election (rather than Hillary Clinton).
In addition, Ramin Setoodeh, an author who interviewed Trump multiple times, has also expressed concerns about Trump's reportedly declining memory. "As the journalist who spent the most time with him, I have to say, he couldn't remember things. He couldn't even remember me," Setoodeh informed MSNBC in June 2024.