President Biden celebrated his 80th birthday Sunday, becoming the first octogenarian to serve in the Oval Office.
Biden marked his birthday with a brunch hosted by first lady Jill Biden, according to White House Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, the day after the Saturday wedding of his granddaughter Naomi Biden on the White House South Lawn.
“A perfect birthday celebration filled with so much love — and Joe’s favorite coconut cake!” the first lady tweeted, sharing a photo of the Biden family gathered around a table as the president blew out a birthday candle.
Biden also made a call to the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team as the FIFA World Cup got underway Sunday in Qatar.
“Coach, put me in, I’m ready to play You guys, I know you’re the underdog, but I’ll tell you what man, you’ve got some of the best players in the world on your team and you’re representing this country and I know you’re going to play your hearts out, so let’s go shock ‘em all,” Biden told the players.
The U.S. team is set to play its first game against Wales on Monday.
In a break from birthday levity, the president also addressed the deadly shooting at the LGBTQ nightclub Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colo., where a gunman killed five people and wounded 18 others.
“Today, yet another community in America has been torn apart by gun violence. More families left with an empty chair at the table and hole in their lives that cannot be filled. When will we decide we’ve had enough? We must address the public health epidemic of gun violence in all of its forms,” Biden said.
Biden also joined other lawmakers to mark Transgender Day of Remembrance in the wake of the shooting.
“There is no place for violence, hatred, and bigotry in America. Yet, tragically, as last night’s attack in Colorado Springs reminds us, too many LGBTQI+ people in the United States—and around the world—continue to face unconscionable attacks,” Biden said in a statement.
The president’s 80th birthday comes as the political focus shifts from the midterms to the 2024 presidential election, with former President Trump last week announcing he’ll mount another run to reclaim the White House.
Biden, already the oldest president to enter office, has acknowledged his age as a concern for voters, but insisted he intends to run again.