トランプ氏、７８歳に　高齢がますます問題に

【ウエストパームビーチ（米国）ＡＦＰ＝時事】ドナルド・トランプ前米大統領は１４日、７８歳の誕生日を迎えた。トランプ氏は１１月の大統領選で再び対戦するジョー・バイデン大統領（８１）を年老いて弱っていると攻撃することが多いが、トランプ氏自身の心身の健康を問題視する声も高まっている。（写真はドナルド・トランプ前米大統領）
　トランプ氏とバイデン氏の年齢差はわずか３歳。どちらが次期大統領になっても、米史上最高齢での就任となる。
　世論調査によると、米国人の大多数はバイデン氏が高齢過ぎると考えているが、トランプ氏についても同じように考えているのは少数にとどまる。
　だが、このところメディアへの露出が増えたトランプ氏も、バイデン氏が繰り返しているのと同じように、失言するリスクが高まっている。
　１３日にも、自身が大統領選の共和党候補として正式に指名される党大会の開催地ミルウォーキーを「恐ろしい場所」と呼んだとされ、軽く炎上したばかりだ。
　トランプ氏も、年齢の近いバイデン氏を攻撃すると裏目に出ることは認識しているようだ。
　昨年９月のインタビューでは、バイデン氏について「それほど高齢というわけではない」と擁護。「年齢とは興味深いものだ。非常に鋭敏なままの人もいれば、鋭敏さを全く失ってしまう人もいるからだ」と主張した。
　バイデン氏も１４日、年齢問題に関してはトランプ氏に同意したようだ。Ｘ（旧ツイッター）に「老人から老人へ。ドナルド、７８歳の誕生日おめでとう。年齢はただの数字だ」「だが、この選挙は選択だ」と投稿した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/06/17-16:47）

Donald Trump, whose attempted White House return is based in part on attacking President Joe Biden as old and feeble, turned 78 Friday -- just three years younger than his election rival -- with growing questions over his own health.
Whoever wins the November election will set a new age record. At 81, Biden is already the oldest man to hold the office and would continue to be so, while if Trump wins, he would become the oldest ever at an inauguration.
Trump, aided by the right-wing media ecosystem, has carefully worked to build an image of vigor, in attempted contrast to an opponent he routinely claims is sleepy or even senile.
Whether staging photo-ops with martial arts personalities or performing his trademark short dance at the end of rallies, Trump spares little effort to come across as an energetic showman.
Heavy use of cosmetics and hairspray typically give him a look -- at a distance -- of a tanned and younger man.
Trump aimed to maintain that image at a party in West Palm Beach, in his home state of Florida, as he gave an hour-long campaign speech before a throng of paying guests.
Club 47 USA, a Trump supporters' group, hosted the event near the ex-president's Mar-a-Lago residence and golf resort, with the crowd singing Happy Birthday as he stood on stage before a row of American flags.
Wow, is that a nice crowd, he said, before launching into his boilerplate speech.
Invitations, featuring a picture of Trump grinning and hugging yet another US flag, referred to him as the best president ever.
The former president is used to the flattery, with almost the entire Republican party now lined up behind him.
On Thursday, he received a rousing happy birthday message in Washington from Republican members of Congress.
They included senior figures who only three years ago had denounced him after cowering in fear as a mob of Trump supporters tried to storm the Capitol to overturn Biden's 2020 election win.
- Unflattering Trump photo -
There were no warm wishes from the Biden camp.
The president's reelection campaign put out an unflattering close-up photograph of a sweaty, disheveled Trump, titled: Ah, another year around the sun for Donald Trump.
Underneath, a list of 78 lifetime accomplishments was provided, ranging from Trump's multiple bankruptcies to instances of far-right rhetoric, alleged sexual misconduct, cheating at golf, his encouraging of the Capitol assault, and recent felony conviction for business fraud in New York.
Happy birthday, Donald. You're a crook, a failure, a fraud, and a threat to our democracy, economy, rights, and future, Biden campaign spokesman James Singer said. Our early gift for your 79th: Making sure you are never president again.
In response, a Trump spokeswoman described Biden as a weak and incompetent candidate who has been shuffling around like a brain-dead zombie at the G7 summit in Italy this week.
- Trump exposure grows -
Polls show that a big majority of Americans think Biden is too old, while a small majority think the same of Trump.
But Trump -- who has already had many a well-documented verbal slip -- now faces months of intense media exposure, increasing the risk of more focus on the same kinds of gaffes that have plagued Biden.
Just Thursday, a mini firestorm blew up when Trump was quoted as saying that Milwaukee -- where the Republicans will hold their convention to nominate Trump in July -- is a horrible place.
Attention is also growing on his often bizarre, meandering comments during speeches, including a recent tirade against electric vehicles that involved a sinking boat, a shark and being electrocuted.
Trump appears conscious that attacks on Biden risk backfiring, given their similar ages.
He's not too old at all, Trump said in an interview last September. Age is interesting because some people are very sharp, and some people do lose it.
Biden on Friday said he agreed there are nuances to the age question.
Happy 78th birthday, Donald. Take it from one old guy to another: Age is just a number, he posted on X. This election, however, is a choice.