Age and health concerns about Donald Trump

Donald Trump
Trump on July 26, 2024
Born (1946-06-14) June 14, 1946 (age 78)
FatherFred Trump (Alzheimer's)
Risk factors: obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, family history of dementia
Growth in concern around Trump's age[1]
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At 78 years, 4 months and 19 days of age, Donald Trump is the oldest major-party presidential nominee in history, after President Joe Biden withdrew from contention prior to becoming the nominee of his own party in the 2024 United States presidential election.[2][3] If elected, by the end of his term he would become the oldest person ever to hold the office, sparking renewed discussion of his fitness to assume the presidency.[2][4][5][6] Since the early days of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, his physical and mental health have been a subject of public debate. Trump was 70 years old when he first took office, surpassing Ronald Reagan as the oldest person to assume the presidency to that date.[7] During Trump's presidency, comments on his age, weight, lifestyle, and history of heart disease raised questions about his physical health.[2] In addition, numerous public figures, media sources, and mental health professionals have speculated that Trump may have mental health impairments, ranging from narcissistic personality disorder to some form of dementia, which runs in his family.[8][9]

In a 2022 interview, Trump "floated the possibility that his health could become an important factor in weighing whether he would run again in 2024".[10] During the 2024 United States presidential election, Nikki Haley "was an early observer of the public's dissatisfaction with both candidates' ages, going so far as to predict that fortune would favor the party that first dropped their elderly candidate."[11] Polling has shown a majority of Americans worry about whether he is fit to serve another four years.[12][13]

Trump has been criticized for his secrecy and lack of transparency around his medical records and health.[4][10][2] As of October 12, 2024, Trump has yet to release even the most basic health information going back to 2015, when he first started running for president, despite a promise he made in August 2024 to release records from a recent examination which Kamala Harris has done and is typical of presidential candidates.[14][15][16]

  1. ^ Langer, Gary (July 11, 2024). "Biden and Trump tied despite debate, as 67% call for president to drop out: POLL". ABC News. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Kranish, Michael (July 22, 2024). "Trump's age and health under renewed scrutiny after Biden's exit". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
  3. ^ Mathur, Anusha (September 24, 2024). "Trump Is Now the 'Old' Candidate. It Might Matter". Politico. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Baker, Peter; Freedman, Dylan (October 6, 2024). "Trump's Speeches, Increasingly Angry and Rambling, Reignite the Question of Age". The New York Times. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
  5. ^ Applebaum, Anne (July 22, 2024). "Suddenly Trump Looks Older and More Deranged". The Atlantic. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  6. ^ Burns, Max (July 24, 2024). "Opinion: It's time to talk about Donald Trump's age". The Hill. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
  7. ^ "Donald Trump is oldest president elected in US history". Business Insider. November 9, 2016. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Nephew Reveals was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference IsTrump was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b Wierson, Arick (April 14, 2022). "Why Trump's offhand comment about his health could be a watershed moment". NBC News. Retrieved October 14, 2024. 'notoriously secretive about sharing his health records with the public...deliberately misleading and even dishonest about his health'
  11. ^ McCoy, Robert (July 22, 2024). "Nikki Haley's Old Warning Haunts Trump as Biden Bows Out". The New Republic. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  12. ^ McGreal, Chris (August 24, 2024). "Is Trump OK? Unhinged reaction to rise of Harris worries supporters". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference ABC July 2024 poll was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Baumgaertner, Emily; Haberman, Maggie (October 3, 2024). "Trump Promised to Release His Medical Records. He Still Won't Do It". The New York Times. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  15. ^ Schneid, Rebecca (October 12, 2024). "Kamala Harris' Medical Report Made Public. What About Trump?". TIME. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).