WASHINGTON, D.C. — Joe Biden abandoned his 2024 re-election bid after his age and health became central issues in the campaign, ending his presidency at age 82. The decision followed his annual medical check-up at age 81, during which he joked, "Well, they think I look too young." Biden was the oldest U.S. president when he underwent that 2024 physical. At 78 when he entered the White House, his age drew heightened scrutiny compared to predecessors such as Bill Clinton, who was 46 at inauguration, and Barack Obama, who was 47. Donald Trump was 70 when first inaugurated and 78 during his second term.

Biden’s fitness for office had been debated for months, with concerns intensifying as both major-party candidates surpassed traditional retirement age. A spokesperson for Biden defended his condition, stating, "Evidence of aging is not evidence of mental incapacity."

Dr. Matt Dallek, a political historian at George Washington University, said, "The scrutiny of Biden and Trump because of their age operates in a totally different plane. The concerns in the media, in the public, the debates that happen about whether they’re fit to serve, those debates get intensified." He added, "Americans historically have wanted masculine presidents, vigorous presidents."

Presidential health disclosures have evolved over time. Every modern president has traveled to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for regular physicals, though there is no legal requirement to release medical records. Public reporting of presidential health began in earnest with Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s. Earlier presidents, including Woodrow Wilson after his 1919 stroke and Franklin D. Roosevelt with his polio-related paralysis, had their conditions concealed.

Dr. Jacob Appel, a medical ethicist at Mount Sinai Hospital, expressed skepticism about White House health summaries, saying, "If I were the public, I would ignore that information (released by the White House) entirely. The president can cherry pick what looks good, and what doesn’t look good." He also noted that such disclosures could inform foreign adversaries.

Trump’s doctor previously described him as in "excellent health" with "strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and overall physical function," and stated he was "fully fit to carry out all duties of the commander-in-chief and head of state." Polls reflected public doubts: a Washington Post-ABC-Ipsos survey in May found 59% of respondents believed Trump lacked the mental acuity to serve, and 55% questioned his physical health.