President Joe Biden is celebrating his 81st birthday on Monday as he extends his record as the oldest sitting president in U.S. history.
Former President Ronald Reagan previously held the title; he was 77 at the end of his tenure.
President Biden was born on Nov. 20, 1942 in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
The president’s advanced age has continued to spark debate.
In a February poll conducted by NBC, 70% of voters said President Biden should not run again. When asked if age was a factor, 69% said yes.
If reelected, President Biden would be 86 at the end of his potential second term.
In a report published by the White House earlier this year, the president’s physician maintained that he is "fit for duty, and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations."
The president himself has laughed off speculation that he is slowing down.
"Call me old, I call it being seasoned," President Biden said at the 2023 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. "You say I am ancient, I say I’m wise. You say I’m over the hill, Don Lemon would say, 'That’s a man in his prime.'"
President Biden will spend his milestone birthday pardoning turkeys in the annual White House ceremony. First lady Jill Biden will welcome the official White House Christmas Tree in the afternoon.
The pair will make up for lost family time when they head to Massachusetts Tuesday for the remainder of the week.
The first couple and rest of the country are also mourning the loss of former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 96.
Should age limits be set for US elected officials in office?
The current Congress is the second-oldest Senate and third-oldest House in American history.
