As concerns about the age and mental fitness of former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden grow, a list of recent notable gaffes has been compiled. From mistakenly referring to two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker as a coach to confusing his son Barron’s age, both candidates have faced their fair share of missteps. Biden has also repeated a disputed story about being arrested during desegregation protests and made concerning comments about his uncle possibly being eaten by cannibals. Trump, on the other hand, has made claims about trading on the NYSE and mixed up important geopolitical facts during his speeches.
Both candidates have faced criticism for their age, with Biden being the oldest president in history and Trump potentially becoming the second oldest if re-elected. Polls show that voters are more concerned about Biden’s age than Trump’s, with many calling for one or both candidates to drop out of the race. Trump has avoided directly criticizing Biden’s age but has questioned his competence, while Biden has attempted to deflect concerns by highlighting Trump’s own missteps. Despite the worrying gaffes, experts caution against attributing these mistakes solely to old age, noting that they can happen to anyone under the scrutiny of constant media attention.
Biden, who has a long history of gaffes during his political career, has defended his age as a symbol of experience and released results of a physical exam showing he is in good health. The exam did not include a cognitive test, which the White House press secretary argues is unnecessary given the demands of the presidency. Trump, meanwhile, has claimed to have passed cognitive exams but has not released formal results. Trump and his allies have called for Biden to undergo cognitive testing, but legal hurdles may prevent any mandates from being put in place. Despite concerns about both candidates’ age and fitness, they are set for a closely contested rematch in November, with polls showing a narrow margin between them.
