"An Elderly Candidate?" Trump's Age Attack Backfires... Focus on Medical Certificate

"I can't believe the Republican Party is putting an old man up for president. My goodness." This is a post by political commentator Michael Kruse on X (formerly Twitter) right after U.S. President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race.

This single sentence illustrates how the situation has reversed for Biden's "rival," former President Donald Trump, following the retirement of 81-year-old President Biden this year. The age and health risks that brought down President Biden have now become the burden of former President Trump, who is only three years younger.

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Major foreign media outlets, including The Washington Post (WP), reported on the 22nd (local time) that after President Biden withdrew from the Democratic presidential nomination, attention has shifted back to former President Trump's age and health issues. At 78 years old, Trump has now become the oldest presidential candidate in U.S. history.

According to experts, former President Trump has a history of heart disease and obesity. However, he has not released specific data such as recent blood test results that would help voters assess and diagnose his health risks during the campaign period ahead of the November election.

What Trump has made public is a three-paragraph health letter from his personal physician Bruce Aronow, dated last November, stating that he is "physically and mentally very healthy." Since then, a Trump campaign official told WP that there was "no need to disclose other medical reports," dismissing health controversies.

Seven days after the assassination attempt on former President Trump on the 13th, former White House physician Ronny Jackson released a medical report that contained no specific details about Trump's health. Jackson, known as a fervent Trump supporter, mentioned treating a 2 cm wide wound on Trump's right ear but did not disclose the results of the head CT scan and other tests conducted simultaneously. He had previously stated that Trump performed excellently on cognitive tests during his presidency, but those details were not made public at the time either.

This year, the "age" of presidential candidates has been a major issue for voters. According to a WP, ABC News, and Ipsos poll conducted before last week's Republican National Convention, 60% of Americans said former President Trump is too old to serve another presidential term. By party affiliation, 82% of Democrats, 65% of independents, and 29% of Republicans responded this way. WP reported that before President Biden decided to withdraw, many Democrats pointed out it was unfair that only Biden was criticized for his age compared to Trump.

Major foreign media are focusing on the fact that the situation has reversed as President Biden, under pressure from age-related controversies, gave up running for president. The Republican strategy of attacking the Democratic candidate by focusing on age and cognitive decline is inevitably being overturned in many ways. Newsweek reported, "Suddenly, age has become an issue for former President Trump," adding, "Now, only Trump will face criticism that he is too old to serve as president."

Vice President Kamala Harris, a leading Democratic presidential candidate, is currently 59 years old. She will turn 60 after her birthday on October 20, ahead of the November election. This means there is nearly a 20-year age gap between her and former President Trump. Additionally, although less likely, other Democratic potential presidential candidates such as Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (52) and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (51) are also in their 50s. The Guardian noted, "Now 78-year-old former President Trump will face younger Democratic candidates," adding, "He could become the sole target of voters hoping for a generational power shift." On social media, posts attacking former President Trump's age have been continuously appearing since the day before.

In particular, this age risk is expected to become apparent during the second TV debate scheduled for September. With Democratic politicians, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, expressing support for Vice President Harris, it is highly likely that Trump will face off against Harris, a former prosecutor, in the September TV debate. Vice President Harris is known for her sharp rhetoric. The Guardian added that Harris proved her debate skills in 2019 when she attacked President Biden over racial issues.

Like President Biden, former President Trump has also been known for public verbal slips. Last month, he mocked Biden by saying he should take a cognitive test, while mistakenly calling his former White House physician Ronny Jackson "Ronny Johnson." Earlier, he confused former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, a Republican primary rival, with former House Speaker Pelosi. Trump's speeches are also known for being lengthy and confusing.

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow described the news of President Biden's withdrawal by saying that the "old man in the race" is now former President Trump. On the other hand, conservative Fox News commentator Steve Hilton argued that "mental ability is as important as age," calling it "ridiculous" to claim that Trump is too old after Biden's withdrawal.

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