Is Joe Biden too old to run again in 2024?
US president would be 86 if he completed a second term in the White House

Joe Biden has admitted that he could “drop dead tomorrow” and conceded that it is “legitimate” for voters to be concerned about his health.
Interviewed by MSNBC just two weeks ahead of the midterm elections, the US president was quizzed about his mortality and said: “I could get a disease, I could drop dead tomorrow. I think it’s a legitimate thing to be concerned about, anyone’s age, including mine.”
However, he added, that “the best way to make a judgment” is for voters to “watch” him and decide for themselves if he is “slowing up”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Biden, who will be 80 on 20 November, is expected to run for the White House again in 2024, said The Telegraph, and “the oldest person ever to hold office” would be 86 if he completed a second term.
‘He outlasts us’
Biden’s age is a red herring, said Brendan Boyle, a Democratic congressman from Pennsylvania. “The age thing is a convenient place to go for people who had other reasons to say they didn’t want him to run,” Boyle told CNN.
Speaking in the Capitol, where the three most important members of the Democratic leadership are all in their 80s, Boyle said: “I serve in Congress. To me, Joe Biden is young.”
While engaging with crowds, the 79-year-old has “perfected his selfie arm” and tested his aides’ stamina, reported The Independent. “He outlasts us,” said White House deputy chief of staff Jen O’Malley Dillon. Biden is known to spend more than an hour shaking hands and chatting with the public.
“If I was advising Biden, I would say don’t hide it,” conservative consultant Craig Shirley told Politico. “Everybody knows you’re going to be 80 years old, make it a positive. He can have a cake. Have some friends over. To run away from it is foolish.”
Age old problem
However, according to one report, people behind the scenes are increasingly concerned about the president’s age. White House staffers have expressed doubts about scheduling long international trips for Biden, “out of concern that they are too draining for him”, reported The New York Times.
“His energy level, while impressive for a man of his age, is not what it was, and some aides quietly watch out for him,” said the paper. Biden “often shuffles when he walks, and aides worry he will trip on a wire”, it added.
Biden’s age could become an issue at the polls, according to one study. A New York Times/Siena College poll published in July found that around 64% of surveyed Democratic voters believed the party should nominate a different candidate for president in 2024, with 33% giving Biden’s age as their primary reason.
It could become a problem for Biden. Former president Donald Trump, who was defeated by Biden in 2020 but is “mulling” over running again in 2024, “frequently criticizes Biden over his performance and his age”, said USA Today.
However, the former president is no spring chicken himself at 76, opening up the prospect of two elderly men running for what is often referred to as the most powerful office in the world.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Chas Newkey-Burden has been part of The Week Digital team for more than a decade and a journalist for 25 years, starting out on the irreverent football weekly 90 Minutes, before moving to lifestyle magazines Loaded and Attitude. He was a columnist for The Big Issue and landed a world exclusive with David Beckham that became the weekly magazine’s bestselling issue. He now writes regularly for The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, Metro, FourFourTwo and the i new site. He is also the author of a number of non-fiction books.
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures A sea of kites, a game of sand hockey, and more
By Anahi Valenzuela, The Week US
-
G20: Viola Davis stars in 'ludicrous' but fun action thriller
The Week Recommends The award-winning actress plays the 'swashbuckling American president' in this newly released Prime Video film
By The Week UK
-
The Masters: Rory McIlroy finally banishes his demons
In the Spotlight McIlroy's grand slam triumph will go down as 'one of the greatest and most courageous victories in the history of golf'
By The Week UK
-
The anger fueling the Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez barnstorming tour
Talking Points The duo is drawing big anti-Trump crowds in red states
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Why the GOP is nervous about Ken Paxton's Senate run
Today's Big Question A MAGA-establishment battle with John Cornyn will be costly
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
UK-US trade deal: can Keir Starmer trust Donald Trump?
Today's Big Question White House insiders say an agreement is 'two weeks' away but can Britain believe it?
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK
-
A running list of Trump's second-term national security controversies
In Depth Several scandals surrounding national security have rocked the Trump administration
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
How might Trump's tariffs affect the luxury goods market?
Today's Big Question Luxury clothes, cars and watches could take a hit in the coming months
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Trump granting military control of federal border lands could circumvent the law
In the Spotlight The move could allow US troops to detain people crossing the border
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cuts
Speed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
By Peter Weber, The Week US