Less than half of people surveyed in a recent poll said they believe President Donald Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden are in “excellent” or “good” health.
The survey was part of a Politico/Morning Consult poll released Wednesday and found that only 40% of respondents thought Trump was in “excellent” or “good” health, while 39% of respondents said the same about Biden.
More specifically, the percentage of people who thought Trump and Biden were in “excellent” health sat at 18% and 12%, respectively. An additional 22% and 27% of respondents said Trump and Biden, respectively, were in “good” health.
Moreover, 33% of those surveyed said Trump was in “poor” health, while 27% said the same about Biden. The results also split sharply along party lines, as Democrats and Republicans were both more likely to believe the candidate of the opposite party was in “poor” health.
If elected, 77-year-old Biden would be the oldest person to assume the presidency at inauguration, edging out 74-year-old Trump, who currently holds that distinction. Both candidates have been subject to speculation about their health and well-being during the 2020 presidential campaign.
Earlier this month, the president faced questions about his physical health after he was seen slowly descending down a ramp following his graduation address at the U.S. Military Academy. The president, in a tweet sent June 13, said the ramp had no handrails and was slippery.
The ramp that I descended after my West Point Commencement speech was very long & steep, had no handrail and, most importantly, was very slippery. The last thing I was going to do is “fall” for the Fake News to have fun with. Final ten feet I ran down to level ground. Momentum!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 14, 2020
A video of Trump drinking a glass of water with two hands also circulated online, leading to speculation on his health. The president attempted to dispel any concerns at Saturday’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (RELATED: Trump Campaign Slams Biden For Declining More Debates)
Biden, who has a history of gaffes, has also faced questions about his age and mental fitness on the campaign trail. At a coronavirus roundtable June 11, the former vice president appeared to lose his thought during a statement.
“You know the rapidly rising umm uh in with uh with I don’t know.” – Joe Biden. pic.twitter.com/WQMkgISM1D
— Francis Brennan (@FrancisBrennan) June 11, 2020
Obama administration health professionals also expressed concerns about Biden’s health in 2019.
Biden’s medical history does include cases of aneurysm and heartbeat irregularities, although his doctors have stated that Biden is generally in good health, Politico reported.
The poll surveyed 1,988 registered voters via online interviews between June 19-21 and had a margin of error of +/- 2.0 percentage points.