Joe Biden, the oldest ever president of the United States, has addressed concerns about his age as he launches his re-election campaign. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the 80-year-old Democrat acknowledged that voters were worried about how old he was and said he had thought carefully about the issue himself. Polls have shown that age is a major concern for voters, and one that his Republican opponent is likely to exploit. If Biden wins re-election in 2024, he will be 86 when he steps down.
Biden has rarely talked about his age, and usually makes gentle jokes about his long political career instead. However, an NBC News poll released last weekend found that 70% of Americans, including 51% of Democrats, believe he should not run in 2024 because of his age. If he does win a second term, he will be the oldest ever president.
Speaking alongside South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in the White House Rose Garden, Biden said he was confident about the election battle ahead. He joked that he couldn’t even say how old he was, and said people would judge for themselves whether he had what it takes to win.
Biden’s desire to keep going is driven by a sense of historic mission to stop Donald Trump from returning to power, according to reports. Trump is currently the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, despite being the subject of multiple legal cases and allegations of trying to overturn the 2020 election. When Biden challenged him in 2020, Trump attacked him over his age and mental state. It is likely that this attack will return if Trump wins the Republican nomination again.
