President Biden turns 81 today: Who are the oldest presidents in the history of the United States?
At 81 years of age, President Joe Biden is in the midst of campaigning for re-election. He is the oldest US president, followed by predecessor Donald Trump.
In 2020, Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States. The president took office at age 78, becoming the oldest candidate to be elected president. Two years later, he became the only president to celebrate his 80th birthday while in office.
On April 25 this year, Biden officially launched his re-election bid.
“When I ran for president four years ago, I said we were in a battle for America’s soul. And we still are,” he said in a video. If he were to win the 2024 elections, the president would be 82 years old when he takes his oath of office, and would end a second term at 86 years old.
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President Biden has been criticized on several occasions because of his age, mainly by his opponents. However, there have been other presidents who were past the usual retirement age when they were elected.
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President Biden turns 81 today: Who are the oldest presidents in the history of the United States?
On average, presidents are sworn in at age 55, according to POTUS.com. However, there is nothing in the US Constitution that prohibits someone from running because of old age. Article II only sets a minimum age of 35 years, and no maximum.
These are the oldest presidents in the history of the United States:
- Joe Biden: Born November 20, 1942, he became president at age 78.
- Donald Trump: Born June 14, 1946, he was 70 years and 220 days old when he took office as the 45th president in January 2017.
- Ronald Reagan: Born February 6, 1911, the 40th President was 69 years and 348 days old when he took office in 1980.
- William Henry Harrison: Born February 9, 1773, Harrison became the ninth president at 68 years and 23 days.
- James Buchanan: The 15th president, born April 23, 1791, was 65 years and 315 days old when he took office in 1857.
- George H. W. Bush: The 41st president, born June 12, 1924, was 64 years and 222 days old when he took office in 1989.
- Zachary Taylor: The 12th president, Zachary Taylor was 64 years and 100 days old when he took office.
- Dwight Eisenhower: At 62 years and 98 days old, Dwight Eisenhower was sworn in as the 34th president of the United States in 1953.
- Andrew Jackson: Born March 15, 1767, the seventh president of the United States was 61 years and 354 days old when he took office in 1829.
- John Adams: The second president of the country, born October 30, 1735, was 61 years and 125 days old when he won the office in 1796 by defeating Thomas Jefferson.