I just read a quite revealing survey from Reuters/Ipsos, and honestly, I’m not very surprised by what they found.

Six out of ten Americans, including a significant percentage of Republicans, believe that Trump has become more erratic as he ages. 61% describe him this way. Among Democrats, it’s almost unanimous (89%), but the interesting part is that up to 30% of Republicans agree. That says a lot.

What’s curious is that Trump gained some of his support in 2024 precisely by attacking Biden’s age. We all remember the narrative: Biden was losing mental sharpness, he was too old to govern. And look, Biden finished his term at 82 years old, the oldest in U.S. presidential history. But now Trump, at 79, is showing a similar pattern that worries voters.

Speaking of Biden’s age and political aging in general, the survey also reveals something broader. 79% of Americans think that politicians in Washington are simply too old. Nearly eight out of ten believe elected officials do not adequately represent the majority of the country. The average age in the Senate is around 64, and in the House, 58.

Trump returned to office in January 2025 at age 78, becoming the oldest president in history on Inauguration Day. Since then, he has been moving pieces at a rapid pace: radical tariffs, deportations, confrontations with the Supreme Court. The tone in his public statements has been notably more aggressive.

What strikes me most is that only 45% in February described Trump as mentally sharp and capable of facing challenges. In September 2023, that number was 54%. That’s a significant drop in less than a year.

The White House responded by dismissing everything as false narratives, but when nearly two-thirds of the country share the same perception, including people from your own party, something is happening. Biden’s age was a key factor in 2024, but it seems that age in general has become the real underlying issue.