Celebrations are in order for Joe Biden as the president of the United States turns 81 years old today.
Mr Biden has been the president since January 2021 after taking over the office from Donald Trump, after winning the election with Kamala Harris.
The POTUS will spend his birthday pardoning two turkeys ahead of Thanksgiving, a tradition which was revived by George H.W. Bush in 1989 and which has become a staple of the White House holiday season.
Biden is the oldest president elected, having been 78 when he was sworn into office, and his staff have credited his age as being proof of a wise outlook on international turmoil the world is facing.
Ron Klain, who served as Biden’s chief of staff for his first two years in the White House, told Politico it is important to "emphasize [that] it gives him more wisdom and experience, how he’s navigated this difficult problem in Ukraine."
He added: "I think everyone knows it’s an issue, and we have to address it. He’ll keep on doing the job, campaigning with vigor and demonstrating to the American people his energy level, which is quite robust."
Andrew Bates, a White House spokesperson, added that the president "has used his deep experience to deliver unprecedented benefits".
John Morgan, a Biden fundraiser and Florida attorney, also vouched for Mr Biden's wisdom, adding: "You cannot roll back time. There’s nothing that can be done to make him younger.
"I believe that what’s going to carry the day for Joe Biden is the word 'wisdom'. We want wise men.
"And to everybody who has a problem with his age, I would tell them that if you had stopped investing with Warren Buffett when he was 80, you would have missed out on 12 years of record returns."
Mr Biden is running for office again in the next election in 2024, meaning - if elected - he will remain in the Oval Office into his 86th year.
He will face Trump who is also planning to stand in the upcoming election despite facing court cases in the new year which may overlap with his campaign.
Following the pardoning of the turkey, Mr Biden will leave on Tuesday for Nantucket, where he will spend the holiday on Thursday with his family.
At the ceremony, Mr Biden took to the podium and joked with reporters, telling them: And by the way, it's my birthday today and they can actually sing [happy] birthday to me.
"I just want you to know it's difficult turning 60. It's difficult!", he chuckled, as the crowd laughed along with him.
Featured image credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
