Donald Trump has said that “only fools put old people in Supreme Court positions” – ironically, he himself is a 78-year-old candidate for the highest post in the US government.
The target of age-related criticism has always been not only Joe Biden but also Trump, who will be 82 by the time he completes his term if elected.
He is also, currently, the oldest candidate for President in the history of the United States and has periodically been the target of Democrats, who have raised doubts about his ability to serve in office.
“It’s amazing, because I got three appointments in four years,” Trump said of his appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court during an interview with Bloomberg. “Most people don’t get anything. Because, you know, you put them in, they’re young. You put them in young.” He added, “Only stupid people put old. You know, you don’t put old, because they stay there for two years or three years, right?”
Trump’s Supreme Court appointees, including Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, were younger than usual, with an average age of 50, while the historical average was 60.
President Trump’s three appointees to the Supreme Court have made significant contributions to the court’s conservative majority, leading to significant changes in federal precedents. One of the most significant results of this change was the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision that previously protected the right to abortion care.
When the interviewer pointed out his age being 78, Trump dodged the question and continued talking about his appointment to the Supreme Court, “So, I got three,” he responded. “A lot of presidents didn’t get any, I got three. And, uh, I think those three have been great choices, too.”
Questions have been raised about Trump’s mental fitness for office as he has hung around for long periods of time at rallies, ignored or missed questions and, most recently, spent time in town halls instead of answering questions.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Ben Michaelis told The Independent that Trump is “not really in a strong cognitive state.”
“When you talk about people with dementia there’s a term called sundowning, it’s very difficult for them as the day goes on,” he said, “for them to maintain attention on a subject Pretty tough. The idea of being able to maintain that level of focus for that long… you wouldn’t think twice about it if that was your grandfather.