A birthday that should have been a moment of celebration instead brought fresh scrutiny for US President Donald Trump, after a report revealed concerns among some people close to him about his age, memory and energy levels.Trump turned 80 on Sunday found himself at the centre of discussion about his health and fitness for office following a report by The New York Times detailing private accounts from allies and associates. According to the report, several people described instances in which Trump appeared to forget names or seemed more tired than usual.Trump became the oldest president ever inaugurated when he returned to the White House for his second term. MAGA supporters have long highlighted his stamina and busy schedule, but the latest report suggests that some within his own circle have privately noticed signs of ageing.Among those quoted was conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, who has recently distanced himself from Trump. Carlson claimed the POTUS is uneasy about growing older.“He’s really uncomfortable with it,” Tucker Carlson said of the president’s age, according to the Times.The issue surfaced publicly earlier in the week during Trump’s birthday wishes to Mehmet Oz, who turned 66.“I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday,” he said. “You don’t have to wish me a happy birthday, because I’m not happy about that birthday. It’s a number that I never thought really too much about. It’s not a number I like, but I’m here nonetheless.”Carlson also suggested that Trump’s push to build a controversial $400 million ballroom at the White House is concerning. He described the project as “an older man building a monument to himself.”Despite the report, White House officials have rejected suggestions that Trump is experiencing any decline.“President Trump’s sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast to what we saw during the last administration when Democrats and the legacy media intentionally covered up Joe Biden’s serious mental and physical decline from the American people,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle has previously told the Daily Beast.Questions about Trump’s health have surfaced before. Photographs showing dark purple bruising on his hands have repeatedly attracted public attention. The White House has said the marks were caused by frequent handshaking with world leaders.However, row intensified recently following details about Trump’s latest medical examination at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland.According to an analysis by The Washington Post, Trump was examined by 22 medical specialists during his latest health assessment. The figure is almost double the 14 doctors involved in his previous physical examination.The newspaper reported that 22 specialists is the highest number recorded for a single presidential medical examination.The latest revelations come after the presidency of Joe Biden, who also faced criticism over concerns that his age affected his ability to serve effectively. Trump frequently mocked his predecessor, often referring to him as “Crooked Joe Biden”.
