President Biden’s officials reportedly “leave him alone” as often as they can on the weekends and tend to adjust his schedule to avoid tiring “an aging president,” according to the New York Times.
The outlet reported that officials have said they try to leave the president alone on weekends and tend to schedule all public appearances between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.
A Democrat who chose to remain anonymous told the New York Times that Biden’s age was a popular discussion topic among prominent members of the party.
“At a small dinner earlier this year of former Democratic senators and governors, all of them in Mr. Biden’s generation, everyone at the table agreed he was too old to run again. Local leaders often call the White House to inquire about his health,” the outlet reported.
US President Joe Biden speaks during an anniversary ceremony at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. (Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Biden officially announced he would be running for re-election in 2024 as voters have become increasingly concerned about his age and his ability to serve a second term.
The Times also reported that Biden’s aides limit his access to the press over concerns that he might make a major mistake.
Aides and officials that have known Biden for a while reportedly told the outlet that they have noticed “small changes” in the president.
“When he sits down, one former official said, he usually places a hand on his desk to hold his weight and rarely springs back up with his old energy,” the Times report read.
U.S. President Joe Biden departs the White House on January 19, 2023, in Washington, DC. ((Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images))
The president addressed concerns about his age as well as low approval numbers during a press conference in April, where he said he couldn’t even say the number.
“With regard to age, I can’t even say – I guess, how old I am – I can’t even say the number. It doesn’t register with me,” Biden said, adding that the people will be able to determine whether he has it or not.
Axios reported recently that his advisors see the president’s age as a liability.
President-elect Joe Biden speaks at The Queen Theater in Wilmington, Del., Tuesday, Dec 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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Biden’s aides have compared him to an “aging king,” whose staff work hard to keep him protected, according to the outlet. His staffers do “not take chances” when it comes to his safety, Axios reported.
A Quinnipiac poll from May found that 65% of registered voters believe Biden is too old to be an effective president for another four years as the nation gears up for the 2024 election.
The poll found that 69% of independents think the president is too old and 41% of Democrats believe his age is a problem as well.
The White House said Biden’s age has not forced any major schedule changes.
“Nothing beyond what is done for any president regardless of their age,” Biden’s deputy White House chief of staff Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, said, according to the Times.
Fox News Digital’s Gabriel Hayes and Houston Keene contributed to this report.