Trump turns 78, spotlighting age as central situation in 2024 race

By Nathan Layne

(Reuters) – Donald Trump turns 78 on Friday, a milestone that can remind voters that the 2 major-party candidates working for U.S. president this yr are the oldest ever to hunt the workplace.

Age and psychological sharpness have been on the middle of the competition between the Republican Trump and his Democratic rival, President Joe Biden, usually getting extra consideration than substantive coverage points within the run-up to the Nov. 5 election.

Public opinion polls present Individuals are extra nervous in regards to the superior age of Biden, who’s 81. However at 78, Trump is simply three and a half years youthful, and he can be the oldest particular person ever to be inaugurated if he wins a second time period.

Trump is scheduled to talk on Friday at a celebration organized for him in West Palm Seashore, Florida, by a bunch of die-hard supporters.

On the marketing campaign path, Trump has not explicitly made a difficulty of Biden’s age, however has sought to capitalize on his opponent’s each verbal mistake, in addition to Biden’s slowing gait, to solid him as unfit for the Oval Workplace.

Biden has responded to questions on his age by telling voters to give attention to his accomplishments in workplace as proof of his acuity and energy. He has additionally described Trump as a risk to democracy and criticized his generally rambling speeches, in addition to Trump’s use of inflammatory rhetoric towards immigrants.

Nonetheless, even some Democrats have expressed issues about Biden’s means to finish one other time period, which might take him to age 86.

In a Reuters/Ipsos ballot in February, some 78% of respondents – together with 71% of Democrats – stated Biden, already the oldest president, was too previous to work in authorities. Some 53% of respondents stated Trump, who was president from 2017-2021, was too previous for presidency work.

“It is not about age, it is about psychological competence,” stated Trump marketing campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, arguing that voters can see the distinction between Biden and Trump, whom she described as “sharp as a tack with elite stamina.”

The Biden marketing campaign didn’t reply to a request for remark.

Presidential historian Timothy Naftali stated Trump initiatives power in public appearances, making him seem like extra very important bodily, however that doesn’t imply he’s sharper mentally.

“It is not clear listening to the 2 males who’s in higher command of his colleges,” Naftali stated.

Allan Lichtman, a historical past professor at American College and well-known presidential prognosticator, stated Trump had made gaffes and unfold false info to an extent that ought to be elevating extra questions on his psychological health.

“Folks in some way give attention to the errors Biden has made whereas completely ignoring the best way during which Trump appears to be solely unhinged from actuality,” he stated.

Trump and Biden are neck-and-neck in nationwide opinion polls, with Trump forward in a number of of the battleground states that would resolve November’s contest.

It’s unclear simply how a lot age will probably be an element within the remaining final result. Amongst points that voters will probably be weighing is the energy of the financial system, which general is performing effectively however is beset by inflation, in addition to immigration and abortion rights.

Voters even have Trump’s authorized troubles to think about. Final month, a New York jury discovered him responsible of falsifying enterprise data to cowl up a cost to a porn star on the eve of the 2016 election. He faces three further felony circumstances, although none are prone to go to trial earlier than the election.

The primary televised debate on June 27 will probably be an essential check for each Biden and Trump, with voters in search of verbal slip-ups as a attainable indicator that they won’t be as much as the duty of main the nation.

(Reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut and Jeff Mason in Washington, D.C.; Modifying by Colleen Jenkins and Leslie Adler))

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