President Biden said in a new interview that concerns about his age are “totally legitimate” as questions swirl around whether he will run for reelection in 2024.
During the interview with ABC’s David Muir, Biden, 80, was asked whether he is considering his age when deciding whether to run again, to which he replied no. However, he said it is “legitimate” for people to raise concerns about it.
“It’s legitimate for people to raise issues about my age,” he told Muir. “It’s totally legitimate to do that. And the only thing I can say is, ‘Watch me.’ “
Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, would be 82 when sworn in if reelected in 2024.
Biden’s age has drawn concerns from both sides of the aisle.
Republican Nikki Haley in her opening pitch for her 2024 presidential bid earlier this month insisted that anyone over 75 should be subjected to a mental competency test.
However, the White House has dismissed recent attacks, with White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates saying Republicans have played the age card and failed.
Biden during the ABC interview also acknowledged first lady Jill Biden’s signal that he would run for a second term. “He’s not done,” Jill Biden said last week in Kenya.
“Like my mother would say, ‘God love her,’ ” the president said.
“I’ve got other things to finish before I get into a full-blown campaign,” he added.