Is the American leadership too old?

Joe Biden is the oldest sitting president in American history. At 80 years old, he is nearly 20 years older than the average age of 62 for national leaders around the world , according to the Pew Research Center.

The oldest current head of state is Cameroonian President Paul Biya, 89 years old. However, President Joe Biden is old enough to be the grandfather of Chilean President Gabriel Boric or Sanna Marin, who resigned as Prime Minister of Finland last month – both of whom are 37 years old.

In the United States, President Joe Biden is still younger than some of the members currently serving in Congress .

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell froze during his weekly congressional press briefing on July 26. The senator abruptly stopped speaking, stood still, and stared straight ahead for 23 seconds, causing concern among those around him.

"Are you alright, Mitch? Do you have anything else to say, or should we go back to your office?" Senator John Barrasso asked, bending down.

Mitch McConnell was helped by his colleagues after he froze up during a press conference. Photo: AP

The 81-year-old senator's momentary "freezing" has raised concerns about his health, especially after he was hospitalized and treated for a concussion following a fall in March.

However, Mitch McConnell is not the oldest member of the U.S. Congress. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein are both 89 years old, and Senator Bernie Sanders is also 81, the same age as McConnell.

Many US lawmakers are in their 70s, and the average age of the Senate is 65.3 – the seventh highest in the world, according to FiveThirtyEight.

His advanced age has raised questions about whether Joe Biden should run for a second term as president of the United States. Recently, he tripped over a sandbag on stage at the Air Force Academy and fell forward. Age also appears to be causing him to make some confused statements, according to Reuters .

US President Joe Biden recently tripped over a sandbag on stage. Photo: AP

Joe Biden could face 77-year-old Republican Donald Trump in the 2024 race for the White House. A Reuters poll suggests that many Americans believe neither man should run because of their advanced age.

When asked about Biden's age, the White House pointed to his accomplishments, including the 2020 presidential election, helping the Democratic Party avoid defeat in the 2022 midterm elections, and having Congress pass numerous new laws as president of the United States.

According to the Pew Research Center, President Biden is not among the top 10 oldest sitting world leaders.