President Joe Biden turns 80 this Sunday, becoming the first octogenarian to hold the highest office in the United States.
Biden’s unique birthday milestone comes as the president faces speculation over whether he will host a re-election race and raises questions about whether he is too old to serve another term.
The president celebrates his birthday in Washington with a brunch hosted by first lady Jill Biden, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Members of Biden’s family who are already in town after his granddaughter’s wedding celebration at the White House this Saturday are expected to attend.
The timing of the wedding, two people familiar with the planning told CNN, was not a coincidence, noting that the “age issue” is never something Biden wants to highlight.
The president has political momentum on his side ahead of a possible re-election bid, as he was able to maintain a Democratic majority in the Senate and thwart the historic political tides of a resounding Republican wave in Congress.
Yet Biden has been unable to shake voters’ apprehensions about his age, with rhetorical errors and literal blunders sometimes reinforcing concerns about his health and mental acuity.