How old is Joe Biden? His age makes him the oldest sitting president in US history.
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Corrections & clarifications: A prior version of this story misidentified President Joe Biden.
Congress is getting older, and so is the Oval Office.
We currently have the oldest president in U.S. history. There’s a minimum age to run for president, but there isn’t a maximum, as evidenced by the past two commanders in chief. Both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump set the record for the oldest elected president during their respective terms.
In a USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll, 72% of those surveyed endorsed setting age limits on Congress, though their desired maximum varied between 85, 75 and 65 years old. Another 22% opposed setting a maximum age limit.
Here’s what to know about the current age of the 46th president.
How old is Joe Biden?
President Biden is 81 years old. Biden is a Scorpio and celebrated his birthday on Nov. 20. He was born in 1942 and is part of the Silent Generation, the generation that precedes baby boomers.
Biden became a senator at age 29 and was elected vice president at age 66. Last year, he became the first octogenarian-in-chief when he celebrated the new decade in office. Though his age and health have been questioned, especially because of his "choppy" speaking style, Biden has no major medical problems. While he has struggled with a stutter, the White House physician told the public after his most recent physical exam that Biden remains a "healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency.”
Biden is running again in 2024 in hopes of a second term. If elected, he’d be 82 by the time he takes office and 86 by the end of his term. Here’s how his age compares to some early Republican frontrunners – Trump will be 78 in 2024 and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be 46 years old.
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How old is Donald Trump?
Former President Trump is 77 years old and was 70 when he took office. At the time of his 2017 inauguration, he was the oldest elected president in U.S. history.
Who was the oldest president?
Biden was 78 years old when he was sworn into office in January 2021, earning him the title of oldest president in U.S. history. Here are the top 10 oldest presidents and their ages when they took the oath:
Joe Biden: 78 years old in 2021
Donald Trump: 70 years old in 2017
Ronald Reagan: 69 years old in 1980
William Henry Harrison: 68 years old in 1841
James Buchanan: 65 years old in 1857
George H.W. Bush: 64 years old in 1989
Zachary Taylor: 64 years old in 1849
Dwight Eisenhower: 62 years old in 1953
Andrew Jackson: 61 years old in 1829
John Adams: 61 years old in 1796
John F. Kennedy was the youngest elected president at 43 years and 236 days old. However, Theodore Roosevelt became the youngest sitting president when he took office after former President William McKinley was assassinated. Roosevelt was 42 years and 322 days old.
How old do you have to be to run for president?
Natural-born U.S. citizens must be at least 35 years old to be eligible to hold office. Senators must be at least 30 years old and representatives must be 25 years old.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How old is Biden? The president's age now and on election day 2024.
