Reeher Weighs In on How Age is Shaping Trump’s Presidency in Newsweek Article

June 14, 2026

Newsweek

Grant Reeher

Political Science Department

Campbell Public Affairs Institute

Aging

Federal Government

Mental Health

United States

Newsweek

Grant Reeher

As President Trump turns 80, questions about his age and health persist amid polls showing many Americans think he is too old for the job, even as the White House and his physicians maintain he is in excellent health.

Experts note that Trump's own attacks on Biden's mental sharpness have elevated age as a political issue, though some argue concerns about his presidency center more on policy than cognitive fitness.

Trump’s age is a “peripheral issue” when it comes to evaluating his presidency, says Grant Reeher, professor of political science. “Concerns about the administration are not about cognitive decline but rather WHAT he IS doing, in terms of policy, funding and rhetoric,” he says.

Read more in the Newsweek article, “How Trump’s Age Is Shaping His Presidency.”