Joe Biden became the President of the United States (POTUS) in 2021, he won the presidential race against Donald Trump. Four years later, Biden is running for reelection, once again, his opponent is Donald Trump.
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However, it seems that Biden is facing some difficulties this time around as some believe the President is too old. Indeed, Biden, who owns multiple homes, is 81 years old making him the oldest POTUS. The title was previously held by Ronald Reagan, who was 77 at the end of his presidency.
The Wall Street Journal conducted a report where they allegedly interviewed White House insiders. Those who were interviewed remained anonymous but shed some important information concerning Biden’s current state and what meetings are like in the White House.
Amid these reports, Biden, who shared his joint tax returns with his wife, was interviewed by Time Magazine, where he shut down claims that he is too old to be in office.
Reports claim Joe Biden’s cognitive abilities are declining
The Wall Street Journal published a report concerning President Joe Biden’s cognitive abilities, titled: Behind Closed Doors, Biden Shows Signs of Slipping. In the report, several anonymous sources gave details on life in the White House with Biden.
Speaking of a meeting with Biden during negotiations over congressional funding for Ukraine back in January, one source said ‘you couldn't be there and not feel uncomfortable’, explaining that the POTUS took ten minutes to greet everyone in the meeting room before beginning.
The sources also claimed that during the meeting, Biden heavily relied on notes and was making ‘broad points’ about needing to give Ukraine money, which, as per Daily Mail, lawmakers were already familiar with.
The report mentions that those present at the meeting had trouble hearing Biden as he spoke softly. Moreover, it is said that the President had deferred many of the questions to lawmakers, allegedly to the point that Biden wasn’t really part of the conversation.
As per New York Post, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy revealed that Biden ‘always had cards’ and explained that he ‘couldn’t negotiate another way’. He added that Biden is ‘not the same person’.
I used to meet with him when he was vice president. I’d go to his house. He’s not the same person.
McCarthy told The Wall Street Journal that during meetings, Biden would sometimes go over points that had been made in previous meetings and would be shocked when he was informed those points had already been concluded.
He was going back to all the old stuff that had been done for a long time. And he was shocked when I’d say: ‘No, Mr. President. We talked about that meetings ago. We are done with that.
Joe Biden has forgotten names in the past
As reported by Daily Mail, Joe Biden has previously shown that he has trouble remembering names. This aspect of Biden’s cognitive abilities was not in the Wall Street Journal. In January, Biden had mixed up the names of his Hispanic cabinet secretaries.
Then, as per Daily Mail, Biden publicly forgot the names of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny's widow and a German chancellor who died in 2017. He also mixed up the leaders of Egypt and Mexico.
Moreover, during a fundraiser in February, Biden claimed he had spoken with former French President François Mitterrand recently, despite Mitterrand dying in 1996.
Joe Biden was assessed earlier this year
As reported by BBC, President Joe Biden was assessed in February 2024. Dr Kevin O’Connor, the White House physician explained that Biden ‘fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations’.
Biden added ‘everything’s great’, as per BBC. The assessment included a physical at a military hospital in Maryland and the President declared himself ‘squared away’ at the end. He then added that his results were ‘nothing different than last year’ and even joked that doctors thought he looked ‘too young’.
Indeed, President Biden’s last assessment was in February 2023, where he was also told he was ‘healthy’ and ‘vigorous’ and he was fine to ‘continue to work out at least five days per week’, as per his doctors.
The White House physician explained in a memo that Biden is still being treated for atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat), with blood thinners. Biden also suffers from hyperlipidemia and gastroesophageal reflux, which caused him to regularly clear his throat, as reported by BBC.
President Biden started using a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine in the summer of 2023 to treat his sleep apnea.
Joe Biden responds to claims he’s too old to be in office
Recently, President Joe Biden decided to respond to the various claims that he is too old for office in an interview with Time Magazine. When asked if he is too old to be president as he will be 86 by the time he leaves office if he is reelected.
Biden responded that he could ‘do it better than anybody’ and added that he hasn’t thought about not running for president again due to his age.
I can do it better than anybody you know. You’re looking at me, I can take you too.
Time Magazine then asked if Biden had anything to say to those who believe he is too old to be in office. Biden explained that he believes no president has ‘gotten as much done’ as he has in his first 3 and a half years.
Watch me. Look, name me a president that’s gotten as much done as I've gotten done in my first three and a half years.
He added that he was able to pass legislation even though everyone, including Time Magazine,believed he would fail. He told the magazine:
all of you wrote in Time magazine I couldn't get any of it done. When you told me there's no pay, no way, no way [...] the legislation passed on.
Read more:
⋙ Joe Biden: The President is deemed fit and healthy after annual physical exam
⋙ Donald Trump goes after Joe Biden in election speech after success on Super Tuesday
⋙ President Biden has a massive net worth, and most of his wealth doesn't come from politics
Sources used:
The Wall Street Journal: ‘Behind Closed Doors, Biden Shows Signs of Slipping’
Daily Mail: ‘Biden's cognitive decline: Washington DC insiders reveal worrying new details with 81-year-old president now often incomprehensible and regularly freezing in meetings - 'he's not the same person'
New York Post: ‘Biden showing signs of decline as pols, aides detail 81-year-old’s slipping cognitive fitness: ‘Not the same person’
BBC: ‘Biden 'fit for duty' after medical, says doctor’
CNN: ‘Biden says he never considered forgoing reelection bid due to age in Time interview’
Time Magazine: ‘Read the Full Transcript of President Joe Biden’s Interview With TIME’
