“Trump Still Seems a Good Deal Younger Than Biden” – The Washington Post Highlights Why

Former President Donald Trump, who spent four years in the White House, appears to have defied the usual toll that the presidency takes on its occupants. Unlike most of his predecessors, Trump seems to have emerged from his time in office without the significant physical aging that is typically observed in those who have held the position.

This observation was made by Washington Post columnist Matt Bai, who delved into the reasons behind Trump’s seemingly youthful appearance in an article published on Monday. Bai noted that it is almost universal for former presidents to show visible signs of the immense strain that accompanies the role. “I think it’s fair to say that the strain of the presidency shows itself in pretty much everyone who leaves the office — in worry lines in the face, gauntness from lack of sleep, creaking backs, and failing knees,” Bai wrote.

He cited examples such as Ronald Reagan, who, after leaving office at around Trump’s current age, quickly succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease. Similarly, Lyndon B. Johnson passed away at the age of 64, just four years after his presidency ended, and Bill Clinton developed a serious heart condition shortly after completing his second term.

Yet, at 78, Trump shows few of these signs. Bai acknowledges that Trump is, “objectively speaking, old,” and there are moments where this is evident. He references a YouTube video where Trump is seen playing golf with pro golfer Bryson DeChambeau. In the video, Trump is described as wheezing through his words, his face appearing waxen and tight, evoking comparisons to Christopher Walken’s character in Dune.

Despite this, Bai points out that Trump is still active, golfing regularly and delivering lengthy speeches, even if they meander and rant in a way that might cause some to avoid him in different circumstances. Bai argues that Trump’s apparent youthfulness is not due to his physical activities or lifestyle, but rather something more concerning. He suggests that the primary cause of aging for most presidents is the heavy burden of responsibility for others.

This, according to Bai, is something Trump seems to lack. “I’m trying not to be cruel here, but it’s not exactly breaking new ground to say that he seems to lack for something innately human — the basic capacity to internalize other people’s pain,” Bai wrote. He emphasized that Trump never showed remorse or apologized during his presidency, nor did he appear to be personally affected by the tragic deaths of 800,000 Americans from the coronavirus under his administration. Instead, Trump seemed to thrive on defiance, living by the motto: “Don’t worry, be angry.”

Bai concluded that it is not the late nights or workload that ages presidents, but rather the empathy and self-doubt that come with the responsibility of meeting others’ needs. Trump, on the other hand, appears to draw from a “bottomless wellspring of rage,” which Bai suggests may be the secret to his seemingly undiminished vitality. This “clinical callousness,” as Bai describes it, may indeed be Trump’s personal fountain of youth.