Biden’s problem is competence, not age, says The Donald

Polls show that while the age gap between the two men is small, Americans worry more about the President’s age.

It is increasingly likely that the 2024 White House race will be a rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Picture: AFP

Joe Biden, America’s oldest president, received support from an unexpected ally over his age.

Donald Trump said the Democrat was “not too old” to seek a second term, but then quickly added: “I think he’s incompetent”.

The former president’s comments, made in an interview with NBC, come as the US faces a profound debate over the ageing of its political class, a major factor ahead of the 2024 election when Mr Biden will be just shy of 82 and Mr Trump will be 78.

Polls show that while the age gap between the two men is small, Americans worry more about Mr Biden’s age, with one survey finding that three in four people doubt his ability to last a second term.

That Mr Trump ended his own term in office as the second-oldest president ever (Ronald Reagan was 77 at the end of his term) presents the real estate magnate with a challenge, however, in repeatedly portraying Biden as too “sleepy” to do the job.

But that hasn’t stopped the Republican, who would be 82 at the end of a second term, from trying to thread that needle.

“Some of the greatest world leaders have been in their 80s,” he told NBC. “I’m not anywhere very near 80, by the way. And Biden’s not too old. But I think he’s incompetent, and that’s a bigger problem.”

AFP