If it seems like the elected leadership in the United States is perhaps on the verge of being too old for office, it might not just be your imagination.
President Joe Biden, at 80, is the oldest president in U.S. history, surpassing his predecessor, Donald Trump, who—elected in 2016 at 70 years of age—is now second oldest. The current 118th Congress is also the oldest it has been in two decades, a fact on display last week when Sen. Mitch McConnell suddenly froze during a press conference and Sen. Dianne Feinstein began delivering a speech in place of a vote during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing. McConnell is 81 and Feinstein is 90.
Recent polling found that more than half of Americans support a maximum age limit for elected officials to hold office, and prominent public figures including Elon Musk and former President Jimmy Carter have expressed desires to see limitations put in place.
