President Biden pushed back on concerns around his age Monday, claiming what really matters is “how old your ideas are.”
“You got to take a look at the other guy, he’s about as old as I am, but he can’t remember his wife’s name,” Biden, 81, the oldest sitting president, said on NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers,” referring to 77-year-old former President Trump, the likely GOP presidential nominee.
The comment was an apparent reference to the former president’s speech last weekend at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), when he seemingly mixed up his wife, Melania Trump, with Mercedes Schlapp, the wife of CPAC Chair Matt Schlapp and a former aide to Trump, per The Associated Press.
Biden has received negative press about his age and mental acuity in the wake of a scathing special counsel report that branded him a “well-meaning, elderly man with poor memory.”
The president responded to the report following its release in a fiery press conference, defending both his memory and mental capability.
“My memory’s fine. … Take a look at what I’ve done since I became president. … How did that happen? I guess I just forgot what was going on,” Biden said.
Host Seth Meyers also asked Biden about conspiracy theories focused on pop superstar Taylor Swift and her football star boyfriend Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.
“I have you on the hot spot here,” Meyers asked, per the AP. “Can you confirm or deny that there is an active conspiracy between you and Miss Swift?”
“Where are you getting this information? It’s classified,” Biden said, noting that the “Karma” singer endorsed him for the presidency during the 2020 race.
The Associated Press contributed.