DeSantis goes after Trump’s age by saying president is NOT the job for ‘someone pushing 80’ – but REFUSES to say of he thinks he is ‘unfit’ to serve despite Christie’s demands he answer

• Ron DeSantis, 45, said presidency ‘is not a job for somebody that’s pushing 80’ 
• Donald Trump, 77, and President Joe Biden, 81, have face criticism for their age 
• Christie slammed DeSantis for refusing to  say if Trump is ‘mentally fit’ to serve 

Chris Christie wouldn’t let up on Ron DeSantis after he refused to say whether or not Donald Trump, 77, is fit to serve another four years.

But the Florida governor, 45, shot back at Christie, saying anyone ‘pushing 80’ likely shouldn’t be running for president.

The two clashed after debate moderator Megyn Kelly asked DeSantis whether he believes Trump is ‘mentally fit’ to serve as president after a slew of attacks and ads targeting the ex-president’s age and gaffes.

Rather than speaking about Trump’s mental competency, DeSantis focused on the age of it all – something that Christie, who is urging his competitors to answer the questions as asked, was not pleased with.

‘Father Time is undefeated, the idea that we’re going to put someone up there that’s almost 80 and there’s going to be no effects from that – we all know that that’s not true,’ DeSantis said. ‘And so we have an opportunity to do a next generation of leaders and really be able to move this country forward.’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the presidency ‘is not a job for somebody that’s pushing 80’ when asked if Donald Trump is ‘mentally fit’ to serve another four years

Frontrunners Donald Trump, 77, and Joe Biden, 81, have faced intense criticism over their age and questions often emerge over whether they are mentally and physically fit for the job

‘I think we need to have somebody younger, I think when you get up to 80 I don’t think it’s a job for that.’

Age has been a major factor of the 2024 presidential race with both parties having geriatric frontrunners.

Trump, when elected in 2016, was the oldest person to ever become president, with Ronald Reagan coming in second. President Joe Biden, 81, beat Trump by eight years when he was elected at the age of 78.

Christie said that DeSantis, as well as the other two competitors on stage Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley, are ‘afraid’ to attack Trump.

‘It’s not about afraid,’ DeSantis insisted. ‘It’s about pointing out – do you want to elect somebody who will be older than Biden was when he went in 2021?’

‘I don’t think he is as bad as Biden was at all,’ he added, giving Trump credit. ‘But I do think that over a four year period, it is not a job for somebody that’s pushing 80. We need somebody that’s younger. We need somebody that’s going to be able to go in there and clean house on day one and do it for two terms.’

Since Trump already served for four years, he would only be eligible to serve another four-year single term in office. DeSantis says the U.S. needs a Republican in office that can implement eight years of change in a row.

Christie shot back following DeSantis’ initial answer, demanding that he levy a judgment on whether Trump is mentally fit for office.

Gov. Chris Christie demanded DeSantis – and his other 2024 competitors – answer questions straight-up and said they are all ‘afraid’ to attack Trump 

The The fourth Republican presidential primary debate at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa was the most tense yet. From left: Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy

‘Why doesn’t he just be honest?’ the former New Jersey governor lamented.

‘The question was very direct. Is he fit to be president or isn’t it? The rest of the speech is interesting, but completely non responsive. And if we were in a courtroom, they would strike the answer.’

Christie’s frustration came after DeSantis went on a tangent about Trump’s record on the national stage versus his record in Florida.

‘I know this,’ DeSantis countered to his 2024 competitor, ‘we have an opportunity to nominate someone and elect someone for two terms, who’s going to be spinning nails from day one and for eight years.’

‘We should not nominate someone who is almost 80 years old,’ he repeated.

Christe insisted that his colleagues answer the questions on the debate stage, noting: ‘I’m a simple guy, okay? I hear the question, and I answer it.’

‘Is he fit, or isn’t he? I’ll concede – you are fit, Ron,’ Christie said to the Florida governor. ‘You’re a new generation, you’re 44 years old. I wish I was 44 years old.’

’45,’ the father of three corrected.

‘Well, congratulations. I’d still take 45,’ Christie said.

‘This is the problem with my three colleagues – They are afraid to offend. If you’re afraid to offend Donald Trump, then what are you going to do when you sit across from President Xi, you sit across from the Ayatollah, you sit across from Putin.’

‘You have to be willing to offend with the truth and answer the question,’ he concluded.

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