An overwhelming majority of Americans (86%) believe that President Joe Biden, 81, is too old to serve another term in office, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll. The poll also found that 62% of Americans believe that former President Donald Trump, 77, is too old to serve as president again.
These findings highlight the growing concerns about the age of candidates in American politics, as both Biden and Trump would be the oldest presidents in U.S. history if re-elected. The poll also reveals deep partisan divides on this issue, with Democrats more likely to say that Biden is too old (73%) and Republicans more likely to say that Trump is too old (35%).
Concerns About Biden’s Age Have Increased
The ABC News/Ipsos poll found that concerns about Biden’s age have increased since September 2023, when a previous poll found that 74% of Americans thought he was too old for another term. This increase may be due in part to the recent report from special counsel Robert Hur, which raised questions about Biden’s mental fitness. However, the poll also found that Biden enjoys an advantage over Trump on issues such as abortion, health care, and climate change.
Trump Faces Legal Challenges and Lower Favorability on Character
The poll comes amid Trump’s ongoing legal challenges, including his indictment on federal charges related to his handling of classified documents. These legal issues, along with concerns about his character, may be contributing to his lower favorability ratings compared to Biden on some key issues.
Methodology
The ABC News/Ipsos poll was conducted using the probability-based Ipsos KnowledgePanel® February 9-10, 2024, in English and Spanish, among a random national sample of 528 U.S. adults. Results have a margin of sampling error of 4.5 points, including the design effect, for the full sample. Partisan divisions are 25-25-41 percent, Democrats-Republicans-independents.
Additional Notes
- The poll was conducted after the release of a report from special counsel Robert Hur, which recommended that Biden not face charges over his handling of classified documents but did cast doubt on his mental fitness.
- The poll also comes days after the Senate failed to advance a bipartisan foreign aid bill with major new border provisions.