Donald Trump turns 78 on Friday, a milestone that will remind voters that the two major party candidates running for president of the United States this year are the oldest to ever seek the office.
Age and mental acuity have been at the center of the contest between Republican Trump and his Democratic rival, President Joe Biden, often attracting more attention than underlying political issues in the run-up to the November 5 election. .
Public opinion polls show that Americans are most concerned about Biden’s advanced age, at 81. But at 78, Trump is only three and a half years younger and would be the oldest person to take office if he wins a second term.
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Trump is scheduled to speak on Friday at a birthday party organized for him in West Palm Beach, Florida, by a group of his supporters.
In the election campaign, Trump has not explicitly insisted on Biden’s age, but he has tried to take advantage of every verbal error made by his opponent, as well as Biden’s slow walk, to brand him as unfit for the Oval Office.
Biden has responded to questions about his age by telling voters to focus on his accomplishments as evidence of his acumen and strength. She has also described Trump as a threat to democracy and criticized his sometimes rambling speeches as well as his inflammatory rhetoric against immigrants.
However, even some Democrats have expressed concern about Biden’s ability to complete another term, which would take him to the age of 86.
In a Reuters/Ipsos poll in February, about 78% of respondents — including 71% of Democrats — said Biden, already the oldest president, was too old to work in government. About 53% of respondents said Trump, who was president from 2017 to 2021, was too old to work in government.
“It’s not about age, it’s about mental competence,” said Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, arguing that voters can see the contrast between Biden and Trump, whom she described as “sharp as a tack with stamina.” of Elite”.
Biden’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Presidential historian Timothy Naftali said Trump projects energy in his public appearances, making him appear more physically vital, but that doesn’t mean he’s sharper mentally.
“It’s not clear listening to the two men who has better command of their faculties,” Naftali said.
Allan Lichtman, a history professor at American University and a well-known presidential forecaster, said Trump had made gaffes and spread false information to such an extent that it should raise more questions about his mental fitness.
“People focus on the mistakes made by Biden and completely ignore the way Trump seems totally out of touch with reality,” he said.
Trump and Biden are neck and neck in national polls, with Trump ahead in several of the most battleground states that could decide the November race.
It is not clear to what extent age will be a determining factor in the final result. Among the issues voters will weigh are the strength of the economy, which is generally doing well but is beset by inflation, as well as immigration and abortion rights.
Voters will also have to consider Trump’s legal problems. Last month, a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records to cover up a payment to a porn star on the eve of the 2016 election. He faces three other criminal cases, although none are likely to go to trial before of the elections.
The first televised debate, on June 27, will be a major test for both Biden and Trump, as voters will look to verbal slip-ups as a possible indicator that they may not be up to the task of leading the country.
With information from Reuters
