President Joe Biden turned 81 years old on Monday, Nov. 20, which comes as he is the oldest elected president and will be the oldest president when he leaves the White House.
The age of Biden and other presidential candidates continues to be a hot topic ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
Biden's Birthday: Biden won the 2020 presidential election and was sworn in as the 46th president of the U.S. on Jan. 20, 2021.
At the age of 78, Biden became the oldest elected U.S. president, breaking the record of 70 years of age set by his predecessor Donald Trump.
The past two presidents both broke records previously set by Ronald Reagan who was nearly 70 when he was sworn into office in 1981. Reagan holds the current record as the oldest president when leaving office, with a record of 77 years and 349 days. Biden will pass that record when he leaves the White House.
Biden celebrated his birthday Monday by pardoning two turkeys, named Liberty and Bell, to continue a White House tradition ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
A less fun way for Biden to celebrate his birthday is a new poll from NBC News that highlights the president's approval rating hitting a new low during his presidency.
Biden's approval rating hit 40% in the latest poll, which comes as many voters disapprove of the president's handling of foreign relations, particularly the Israel-Hamas war. Biden's disapproval rating of 57% also hit a record high in the poll since Biden became president.
Younger voters, aged 18 to 34, overwhelmingly disapproved of Biden's handling of the Middle East conflict in the poll with 70% saying they disapproved. The same younger 18 to 34 voters gave Biden a 31% approval rating overall, down from 46% in September.
Overall, Biden's approval rating was 51% from Democratic voters and his disapproval rating was 59% from Independents and 69% from Republicans.
The NBC News poll also found Biden trailing Trump for the first time since polling from the media outlet began. In the poll, Trump led with 46% of support from nationally registered voters, compared to 44 for Biden. In the same poll in September, the two candidates were tied at 46% each.
Related Link: Kamala Harris Brushes Off Questions About Biden’s Age, But She’s Ready To Take Over As President If Needed
Why It's Important: While Biden should be celebrating his birthday, the timing of the poll now casts another shadow over his presidency and odds for re-election. The president's age also has been a major factor for the 2024 election with some questioning his abilities to serve in the top leadership role.
Benzinga previously noted Biden's campaign team has put forth new efforts to minimize public falls and stumbles from happening. The New York Times notes some are calling a plan operation "Bubble Wrap" to protect the president from tripping and falling.
While age continues to be a big topic for the 2024 presidential election, Biden may be helped by the fact that Trump is 77 and will be 78 years old at the time of the next election.
Biden has turned his focus to swing states, where he is trailing Trump in polls.
The current president has also considered joining social media platform TikTok, which is well-loved by a younger audience. While TikTok has been faced with security concerns and criticized by many politicians, Biden's involvement on the platform could signal a hope to win over younger voters ahead of the next election.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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