White House defends age concerns over Biden’s 2024 election prospects

Adviser dismisses critics, saying she has trouble keeping up with the 79-year-old US president

THE White House has dismissed concerns over Joe Biden’s age and suggested questions about the possibility of him serving into his mid-eighties “should not even be asked”.

It came amid growing concern among grassroots Democrats about the 79-year-old president’s determination to run for re-election in 2024.

Mr Biden is already the oldest person to serve as US president, and by the end of a second term he would be 86.

When asked if Mr Biden had the “stamina, physically and mentally”, for a second term, Karine Jean-pierre, the White House press secretary, said: “That is not a question that we should be even asking.”

The 47-year-old, laughed as she said: “I can’t even keep up with him. We just got back from New Mexico, we just got back from California. Just look at the work he does, and look how he’s delivering for the American public.”

She dismissed as “hearsay” and “fallacious” a recent New York Times article in which dozens of frustrated Democrat politicians and officials expressed doubts about Mr Biden’s ability to lead the party into the next election.

They cited Mr Biden’s anaemic approval rating, which is currently under 39 per cent, four-decade high inflation, and record petrol prices.

They also questioned whether he had the stamina to take on Donald Trump, if the former president is the Republican nominee in 2024.

Others were concerned about repeated gaffes and Mr Biden’s tendency to make ad hoc policy statements which his staff then have to rein back.

However, Ms Jean-pierre said: “What I can say is the president has repeatedly said that he plans to run in 2024, and

I’m going to have to leave it there.” Mr Biden received welcome backing from Bernie Sanders, his chief rival for the Democrat presidential nomination in 2020.

Mr Sanders said: “I think Biden will probably run again, and if he runs again, I will support him.”

Asked if he would run against Mr Biden for the nomination in a primary, Mr Sanders added: “Not if he runs.”

Concerns about the age of America’s leaders are growing in both parties.

Mr Sanders is 80 and Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat House Speaker, is 82.

Mitch Mcconnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, is 80, and Mr Trump will be 78 by the time of the 2024 election.

Meanwhile, Mr Biden announced he is setting out on his first trip as president to the Middle East, where he will visit Saudi Arabia, Israel and the West Bank.

The White House said the tour would show the “return of American leadership” in the region.