President Donald Trump will celebrate his 80th birthday on Sunday, becoming just the second octogenarian to serve in the White House. Yet those who work closely with him say the milestone has done little to slow down a commander-in-chief known for his relentless schedule and boundless energy.
“At least to date, he has seemed to utterly defy age,” Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said of the president.
“I don’t know where he gets the energy that he displays, but he is up early in the morning and late at night,” Cruz added.
Republicans who regularly interact with President Trump insist that age alone says little about a person’s capability, particularly when it comes to the president’s demanding schedule and active lifestyle.
“He calls me at sometimes 2 o’clock in the morning,” said Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana. “I mean, just because you’re 80 doesn’t mean you’re falling apart. For some people it does — but other people are fine.”
Former Democratic Sen. John Breaux of Louisiana echoed the sentiment, arguing that chronological age is less important than an individual’s abilities and mental sharpness.
“Age is relative,” Breaux said. “I knew people who were senile at 40, and I knew people in their 70s that were contributing members of the Congress. It depends on the individual.”
Longtime Trump ally and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said the president appears to have gained endurance over time rather than lost it.
“President Trump, in the Kissinger tradition, has gained in stamina as he has gotten older,” Gingrich said. “He is so interested in the wide range of things he is achieving that he has no time to get older.”
Gingrich added that having ambitious goals and maintaining strong personal relationships are factors associated with longevity and vitality, characteristics he believes fit President Trump.
The president continues to maintain a rigorous schedule, frequently holding lengthy press conferences, taking questions from reporters for extended periods, and posting on Truth Social at all hours on issues ranging from foreign policy to domestic affairs.
“If there’s one thing I know about President Trump, it’s that nothing slows him down,” said Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas, the former White House physician who treated Trump after the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The president plans to celebrate his birthday by attending a UFC event on the South Lawn of the White House before departing for France to participate in the annual G7 summit.
Members of the Trump family, including Donald Trump Jr. and his wife Bettina, Eric and Lara Trump, and Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner, are expected to join the president for the festivities.
Democrats have attempted to make Trump’s age a political issue, though Republicans argue the president’s active schedule and public appearances demonstrate that he remains fully capable of handling the demands of office.
Trump himself has occasionally joked about his age while also expressing gratitude for his continued opportunities to serve.
“It’s not a number I like, but I’m here nevertheless,” the president said in a video posted this week by Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.
Questions about the president’s health have also been addressed by White House Physician Dr. Sean Barbabella, whose most recent medical memo declared President Trump to be in “excellent health” and estimated his cardiac age to be “approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age.”
As he enters his ninth decade, President Trump continues to maintain the fast-paced schedule and high-profile public presence that have defined his political career, with supporters arguing that his energy and stamina remain among his most remarkable attributes.
The post As President Trump Turns 80, Allies Say His Energy and Stamina Continue to Defy Expectations appeared first on Real News Now.
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