If you’ve spent any time on social media or watching the news lately, you've probably seen the endless clips of Joe Biden stumbling over a word or Donald Trump leaning a bit too far forward at a podium. It’s become a national pastime to speculate on their health. But when you strip away the memes and the political spin, people still ask the most basic question: Who is older Biden or Trump?
The short answer? Joe Biden is older.
But that’s not really the whole story, is it? We aren't just talking about a few candles on a birthday cake. We're talking about two men who have redefined what it means to be "too old" for the hardest job on the planet. Honestly, the gap between them is smaller than most people realize.
The Birthday Breakdown: Doing the Math
Let’s get the hard numbers out of the way.
Joe Biden was born on November 20, 1942. Donald Trump was born on June 14, 1946.
If you're doing the mental math right now, Biden is about three and a half years older than Trump. Specifically, the gap is roughly 3.5 years (or 43 months).
In the grand scheme of an eighty-year life, three years is a blink. It’s the difference between being a freshman and a senior in high school. Yet, in politics, those three years have been used like a sledgehammer.
Biden became the first octogenarian president in U.S. history. He celebrated his 80th birthday in the White House back in 2022. By the time he handed over the keys in January 2025, he was 82. Trump, meanwhile, didn't let that record stand for long. When he was inaugurated for his second term on January 20, 2025, he was 78 years and 7 months old, making him the oldest person ever to be inaugurated.
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Basically, they’ve been playing a game of "Age Leapfrog" for the last decade.
Why the "Age Gap" Feels Bigger Than It Is
It’s kinda weird how we perceive them, right?
During the 2024 cycle, the narrative was almost entirely focused on Biden’s "frailty." People pointed to his stiff gait and his quiet, sometimes raspy voice. It made him feel much older than Trump. Trump, on the other hand, uses a different kind of energy. He’s loud. He moves his hands a lot. He wears that signature bronzer and has a head of hair that, love it or hate it, doesn't scream "senior citizen" in the traditional sense.
But if you look at the medical reality, they are both firmly in the "Super-Ager" category.
"Both candidates have a high probability of surviving through the end of a next term," noted Dr. S. Jay Olshansky, a professor at the University of Illinois Chicago who specializes in aging.
His research suggests that both men likely have "biological ages" that are younger than their chronological ages. Basically, they have great genes and even better healthcare.
The Health Scares and the 2026 Reality
Now that we're in 2026, the conversation has shifted. Joe Biden is living his post-presidency life, but the spotlight hasn't left him, especially after his prostate cancer diagnosis in May 2025. He’s 83 now. He’s definitely slowed down, and his farewell address in early 2025 felt like the end of an era.
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Meanwhile, Trump is currently 79 and will turn 80 this June.
The White House has been deflective lately about certain things. You might have noticed the news reports about the bruising on Trump’s hands or his "swollen ankles." The administration finally admitted he has chronic venous insufficiency. That's a fancy way of saying his veins have a hard time pumping blood back up from his legs. It's common for guys his age, but when you're the Commander in Chief, "common" still gets a headline.
And then there was the whole "MRI vs. CT scan" confusion at Walter Reed last October. Trump eventually cleared it up in a Wall Street Journal interview, saying he had a CT scan to check his heart. He claims his results were "perfect," but the delay in announcing it fed the conspiracy fire for weeks.
The "Oldest President" Timeline
To really see how these two compare to history, you have to look at who they replaced at the top of the list. Before these two came along, Ronald Reagan was the gold standard for "old" presidents.
- Ronald Reagan: Left office at 77.
- Donald Trump (Term 1): Left office at 74.
- Joe Biden: Left office at 82.
- Donald Trump (Term 2): Currently 79, will be 82 when this term ends.
It’s wild to think that by the time Trump finishes this current term in 2029, he will be older than Biden was when Biden left. We are officially in the era of the Gerontocracy.
Does the 3-Year Difference Actually Matter?
Biologically? Maybe not much.
Experts in geriatrics often say that once you pass 75, your "functional age" matters way more than your birth certificate. Can you process information? Can you handle stress? Biden’s team always argued that his experience was a "superpower" that outweighed his stiff walking. Trump’s team argues that his "stamina" is unmatched, regardless of his age.
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But let’s be real. The "who is older" question is usually a proxy for "who is more fit?"
Biden’s struggles were often vocal and physical. Trump’s struggles, at least lately, have been more about focus and occasional confusion during those long cabinet meetings—what some critics have called "Dozy Donald" moments.
What You Should Watch For
If you’re tracking this for political or personal reasons, don't just look at the birth dates. Keep an eye on these specific markers that actually define aging in the public eye:
- The "Gait" Test: How they walk often signals neurological health to the public, even if it's just a stiff back.
- Speech Patterns: It’s not about the stutter; it’s about the "word salad" or losing the thread of a sentence mid-way.
- Vigor vs. Volume: Don't mistake a loud voice for high cognitive function.
Honestly, the "Who is older Biden or Trump" debate is mostly a distraction from the fact that both are significantly older than the median age of the American population.
Actionable Takeaways: Staying Informed
If you want to cut through the noise and stay objective about this, here’s what you can do:
- Check the Official Physician Memos: Don't rely on Twitter clips. Look for the actual summaries released by the White House Physician or the former President’s medical team. They contain specific data points like cholesterol levels and EKG results.
- Look for "Primary Sources" of Footage: Watch a full 10-minute speech rather than a 5-second "gotcha" clip. You'll get a much better sense of their actual mental state.
- Study the Actuarial Tables: If you're curious about the "longevity" of these men, look at Social Security Administration data. Wealthy men with access to the world's best doctors generally outlive the averages by a decade or more.
The reality is that Biden is older by 3.5 years. But as of 2026, both men have pushed the American presidency into uncharted territory. We are watching a real-time experiment in how long the human mind and body can sustain the highest level of global pressure.
Whether you're team Biden or team Trump, the age factor isn't going away. It's only going to get more relevant as Trump approaches his 80th birthday this summer. Stay tuned, because the medical bulletins are probably going to be just as important as the policy briefings for the foreseeable future.