Joe Biden, 80, says ‘I get it’ on him being too old to run for US president

US president Joe Biden said that he understood a focus on his age as he was running for re-election.

The 80-year-old, America’s oldest ever president, usually avoids the age issue but addressed it during a fundraiser at a Broadway theatre in New York. He said that his experience helped him deal with crises like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Covid pandemic.

“A lot of people seem focused on my age. I get it believe me, I know it more than anyone. I’m running because democracy is at stake, because in 2024 democracy is on the ballot once again. And let there be no question: Donald Trump and his MAGA Republicans are determined to destroy American democracy,” Joe Biden said.

The US president said that he would not “bow down” to “dictators”, accusing Donald Trump of doing so to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

This comes as opinion polls showed that American voters have concerns about Joe Biden’s age ahead of a likely rematch next year against Donald Trump, whom he beat in 2020 presidential elections.

Joe Biden is currently attending the UN General Assembly in New York this week. He would be 86 at the end of a second term and his Republican opponents relentlessly target the issue. On the other hand, Donald Trump- who is 77 and would be the oldest president ever elected if he wins next year- said in an interview that Joe Biden was “not too old” but was “incompetent”.