Concerns have been raised about the age and mental fitness of both former President Donald Trump, 77, and President Joe Biden, 81, as they have made repeated rhetorical missteps on the campaign trail. Notable gaffes include Biden’s claim that inflation was at 9% when he took office (it was actually 1.4%) and Trump’s reference to former President Jimmy Carter as “Jimmy Connors” during a speech in New Jersey. Trump has also made odd references to fictional characters and mistakenly stated his son Barron’s age. Biden has made inaccurate statements about historical events and locations, including suggesting that his uncle may have been eaten by cannibals.
Despite the concerns about their age and mental acuity, both Trump and Biden have continued to campaign for reelection. Polls show that voters are more worried about Biden’s age than Trump’s, with many calling for one or both candidates to drop out of the race. Trump has criticized Biden’s competence rather than his age, while Biden has poked fun at Trump’s missteps on the campaign trail. Biden’s verbal missteps have been compounded by physical stumbles, including falls on the stairs of Air Force One, which have raised further concerns about his health and fitness for office.
Experts caution against reading too much into the candidates’ verbal slip-ups, noting that they are not necessarily indicative of old age or cognitive decline. Biden has argued that his age is a sign of his experience and released the results of a physical exam that found him to be in good health. Trump, on the other hand, has claimed that he purposely confuses names and facts as a political tactic. Calls for Biden to undergo cognitive testing have been made by Trump and his allies, but it is unlikely that such tests could be mandated based on constitutional requirements for the presidency.
As Biden and Trump gear up for a closely contested rematch in November, their verbal missteps and physical mishaps continue to be a topic of conversation among voters and experts. While concerns about age and mental fitness persist, both candidates have maintained that they are fit to serve as president. Ultimately, it will be up to the voters to decide whether these gaffes are a cause for alarm or if they can overlook them in favor of other qualities in a presidential candidate.
