A substantial majority of the American public, including a notable segment of Republicans, believes President Donald Trump has grown unpredictable as he grows older, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey.
The six-day poll, which concluded on Monday, comes as the 79-year-old president prepares to deliver his annual State of the Union address following a month of confrontational rhetoric directed at the judiciary and legislature.
The survey indicates that 61 percent of respondents describe Trump as having “become erratic with age.” This perception is shared by 89 percent of Democrats, 64 percent of independents, and 30 percent of Republicans.
While the White House has not issued a response, the president’s approval rating currently stands at 40 percent, reflecting a slight two-point increase from earlier this month, though it remains lower than the 47 percent recorded at the start of his term.
Waning confidence in mental acuity
Public faith in the president’s cognitive fitness appears to be declining. Only 45 percent of those surveyed in February described Trump as “mentally sharp and able to deal with challenges,” down from 54 percent in September 2023.
While 81 percent of Republicans maintain that the president remains sharp, that sentiment is shared by only 19 percent of Democrats and 36 percent of independents.
Trump, who was 78 when he returned to the White House in January 2025, is the oldest president in history to be inaugurated.
He is set to turn 80 this June and is on track to surpass the age record of his predecessor, Joe Biden, who concluded his tenure at 82. Biden’s perceived loss of mental sharpness was cited as a factor in Trump’s 2024 electoral success.
Aggressive policy and rhetoric
Since his return to office, the president has implemented policies at a rapid pace, including the imposition of broad import tariffs and the deployment of masked federal agents for immigration enforcement.
Last week, Trump remarked that he was “absolutely ashamed” of the conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court after it ruled many of his tariffs illegal. He subsequently sought to reinstate the measures under a different legal authority.
On Monday, the logistics firm FedEx initiated a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of International Trade to seek a refund for these emergency tariffs.
The president’s rhetoric has also drawn intense scrutiny; in November, he labelled Democratic lawmakers “traitors” who could face execution after they encouraged the military to ignore illegal orders.
Concerns over aging leadership
The findings reflect a broader dissatisfaction with the age of the American political establishment. Approximately 79 percent of poll respondents agreed that elected officials in Washington, DC, are too old to represent the citizenry.
This concern extends across the political aisle, with 58 percent of Democrats stating that the 75-year-old Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, is too old to serve in government. Currently, the average age in the U.S. Senate is 64, while the House of Representatives averages 58.
