+34
With dozens of U.S. officials in their 70s and 80s and presidents like Biden and Trump reaching age 80 in office, experts discuss whether power is increasingly concentrated among the elderly and if the U.S. is shifting toward a gerontocracy.
Dozens of elected U.S. officials are in their 70s and 80s. Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump both turned 80 in office. Has the U.S. become a gerontocracy, where society's power and wealth are concentrated among the elderly?
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results. Sen.
Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. , departs following votes at the Capitol, Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Washington. )The average age of a U.S. senator is 64-years-old and in the House it's 58, according to 2025 numbers. Dozens of elected officials are in their 70s and 80s.
Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump both turned 80 in office. As a result, Americans have seen questions about the age and capacity of their leaders become a central feature of the national conversation. What happens when the people at the top don't leave? And at what point does an aging society become a gerontocracy?
Samuel Moyn is a political theorist and professor at Yale university. He's the author of several books, including 'Gerontocracy in America'. He's our guest today.
U.S. Politics Gerontocracy Aging Leaders Sen. Mitch Mcconnell Samuel Moyn
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Quebec Leaders Clash in Final Debate Before Oct. 5 ElectionQuebec party leaders meet in their final debate on Sept. 23, 2026, hosted by Radio-Canada at 8 p.m., covering five key themes ahead of the Oct. 5 election.
Read more »
Canada's First Ministers and Prime Minister to Meet with First Nations Leaders for Historic DialoguePrime Minister Mark Carney and Canadian premiers will convene a rare summit with Assembly of First Nations leaders in Ottawa, aiming to align infrastructure initiatives with Indigenous rights and foster nation‑to‑nation relations.
Read more »
Energy Department will spend $2 billion to squeeze more electricity from aging power gridWASHINGTON (AP) — The Energy Department is set to announce it will spend almost $2 billion to try to squeeze more electricity out of the nation's aging and stressed power grid, as President Donald Trump's administration steps up efforts to avoid blackouts amid skyrocketing energy demand spurred by artificial intelligence.
Read more »
I Knew Aging Could Bring Gray Hairs, But Nobody Warned Me About “Old Person Smell”I turned 38 recently, and while I’ve accepted that aging comes with wrinkles and gray hairs, I wasn’t quite prepared for the possibility that I might soon also start smelling different. It turns out “old person smell” is more than a stereotype: Experts say our body odor really can change with age.
Read more »