Trump turned 79 this weekend and will be 82 at the end of his term. How old is too old?
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TODAY'S STARTING POINT
The president is an old man. He sometimes mixes up names or garbles his words. Some voters worry that age is affecting his performance in arguably the world's most demanding job.
Those sentences are true today: Donald Trump, who turned 79 on Saturday, is the oldest president ever at this point in his term. But they've also been true for the past eight years, both during Trump's first term and during Joe Biden's. At the end of Trump's second, he will be the oldest president ever — and among the oldest leaders
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Many politicians, like many people, remain sharp and spry into old age. And older leaders can bring strengths: More experience and longtime ties with the voters they represent.
But age also brings health vulnerabilities. Since the first members of Congress convened in 1789,
Today's newsletter explains what we know about Trump's health and the ongoing debate around older elected officials.
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The age of Trump
Aging increases the risk of getting cancer, having heart attacks and strokes, and developing Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other neurodegenerative diseases. By the time Americans reach 65, about 90 percent suffer from at least one chronic condition, said Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist who studies aging.
Topol published a book last month, '
On the other hand, Trump doesn't drink, and his wealth and office give him access to top-tier medical care. Trump's doctor calls his health '
Trump has for years given rambling speeches and misstated facts, which could make it hard to tell if his faculties are changing. Still, he often appears more tired today than he did in his first term. During the 2024 campaign, Trump warned that Biden would 'plunge the world into World War II' and mixed up Nancy Pelosi and Nikki Haley. Since starting his second term, Trump has
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Right now, Americans don't seem too concerned about Trump's age and health: less than a third say those factors '
Age-old debate
Being old, of course, is no guarantee of infirmity. And casually dismissing aging lawmakers also risks stoking stigma against older Americans in general.
But Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election after a
Some argue that younger politicians offer a clear break with the past and are more attuned to younger voters' concerns. Over the weekend, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, 35,
Most voters, though, may have other ideas. Many
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Potential guardrails
Francis Shen, a University of Minnesota law professor who studies aging and the law, thinks strict age limits would bar older politicians who remain capable — and that the public debate should be about cognitive ability, not the year on a politician's birth certificate. Instead, he argues, Congress should require candidates for federal office to take and disclose cognitive assessments, much as it requires financial disclosures.
Topol predicts that medical advances will soon enable routine testing to determine how vulnerable someone is to age-related disease, allowing political candidates to release more detailed metrics about their current and future health.
Still, there's a long history of presidents of both parties
That means if Trump experiences cognitive decline in office, it might be hard to know for sure.
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6 Across:
69°
POINTS OF INTEREST
A person golfs at Puttshack in Seaport, which has seen higher traffic than usual on rainy weekends.
Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff
Boston and New England
A broken housing market:
The price of the typical Massachusetts home is now
Measles:
A traveler sick with the highly contagious virus visited a Boston hotel, the Museum of Fine Arts, and Logan Airport earlier this month,
Pièce de résistance:
A 12-year-old who recreated the Boston Tea Party using more than 1,000 LEGO bricks will represent the city
Rain check:
A string of washout weekend days has Massachusetts residents
[Redacted for a family paper]:
Maine's newly redesigned license plate features a pine tree. Some drivers
Trump administration
Israel vs. Iran:
Israel had a chance to assassinate Iran's supreme leader over the weekend, but US officials told their Israeli counterparts that Trump opposed doing so. Israel and Iran continued to exchange missiles. (
Pick and choose:
After telling ICE to stop targeting undocumented workers at farms, restaurants, and hotels, Trump directed the agency to prioritize deportations from Democratic-run cities. (
G7 summit:
Trump will meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney today. They may discuss trade negotiations ahead of talks with five other world leaders near Calgary, Alberta. (
'No Kings':
Anti-Trump protests in Boston and hundreds of other cities across the country drew millions of attendees, organizers said.
Trump vs. Harvard:
A judge will hear arguments today over Trump's effort to
BESIDE THE POINT
🗓️
For your calendar:
A Juneteenth whiskey tasting, the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, an audiobook walking club, and more
🏈
Sportswashing:
The NFL is selling flag football to bougie parents (
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🎥
Happy 50th:
Read our film critic's memories of seeing 'Jaws'
👨🦲
Misters Worldwide:
Pitbull's fans dress like him at his concerts. It's hysterical to see that many people in bald caps. (
❤️
Love Letters:
She's on all the dating apps, but
Get outside:
The Coolidge is hitting the road this summer. Here's where you can watch films curated by the nonprofit Brookline cinema on the Greenway and elsewhere al fresco. (
🪦
RIP:
Graham Gund, an architect and philanthropist who shaped Boston's skyline and art museums,
Thanks for reading Starting Point.
This newsletter was edited by
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Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at
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