Biden hits at Trump over age concerns: "He's about as old as I am"
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
President Biden with "Late Night With Seth Meyers" host Seth Myers on Monday. Photo: Llyod Bishop/NBC
President Biden took swipes at former President Trump's age and mental acuity during an appearance on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" on Monday.
Why it matters: Polls indicate voters are more concerned about the age of 81-year-old Biden than 77-year-old Republican primary frontrunner Trump. The president noted the closeness of their age during his interview with NBC's Seth Meyers.
What he's saying: "You got to take a look at the other guy. He's about as old as I am," Biden said.
- "But he can't remember his wife's name," Biden added — an apparent reference to claims Trump mistakenly called Melania Trump "Mercedes" at Saturday's CPAC event — though some said he was referring to his former White House director of strategic communications and CPAC host Mercedes Schlapp, who dismissed the speculation as "fake news."
- Biden said it's "about how old your ideas are," adding: "This is a guy who wants to take us back. He wants to take us back on Roe v. Wade. He wants to take us back on a whole range of issues that are — 50 to 60 years, they've been solid American positions."
The big picture: Biden discussed a range of subjects during his unscheduled appearance on the show, including announcing that Israel has agreed to halt its Gaza offensive during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan as officials work on a deal to free the remaining hostages being held by Hamas.
- Meyers also asked Biden about a conspiracy theory circulating among some conservatives about a "covert government effort" for Taylor Swift to help him win the 2024 presidential election.
- "Can you confirm or deny that there is an active conspiracy between you and Miss Swift?" Meyers asked.
- "Where are you getting this information, it's classified," joked Biden, noting that Swift endorsed him for president in 2020.
Flashback: NBC shared a post to X ahead of the broadcast noting Biden last appeared on "Late Night" some 10 years ago, when he was vice president:
The other side: Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung in an emailed statement early Monday called Biden "such a disaster that he makes Jimmy Carter look like an effective president."
- Cheung added: "He can barely put two coherent sentences together and shuffles around like a short-circuited Roomba, often falling on his ass in front of the world."
More from Axios:
