Trump says ‘you don’t put old in’ when filling federal appointments - forgetting he is 78 and running for president

Donald Trump says “only stupid people put old” in Supreme Court positions - seemingly forgetting he’s a 78-year-old man running for the top position in the executive branch.

Trump made the remarks during an interview with Bloomberg while in Chicago.

"It’s amazing, because I got three in four years," Trump said. "Most people get none. Because, you know, you put them in, they’re young. You tend to put them in young."

"Only stupid people put old," he continued. "You know, you don’t put old in, because they’re there for two years or three years, right?"

Trump is running for another four-year term in the White House and is currently the oldest nominee for president in US history. Trump would be 82 years old when he completes his term in 2029.

His age has frequently been a target for the Democrats who have questioned his mental fitness and his ability to serve.

Trump spoke in Chicago on Tuesday and said “Only stupid people put old” in when filling Supreme Court seats. The 78-year-old is running and asking voters to put him in the White House (AFP via Getty Images)

In modern appointments to the Supreme Court, presidents typically look for younger candidates to put on the US’s top court. Justices are lifetime appointments and picking a younger nominee allows president’s to add someone who matches their ideology to the court for decades.

During his term, Trump appointed three members to the court. Neil Gorsuch was 49 years old when he started, Brett Kavanaugh was 53 years old and Amy Coney Barrett was 48.

Those three members now help make up the conservative majority of the court, which has made major changes to federal precedent in recent years including the rolling back of Row v. Wade that guaranteed abortion protections.

When Trump was questioned about his comments on someone being “old” it was pointed out he was running for the White House at 78.

Trump brushed off the comment and ignored the question about his own age.

"So, I got three," Trump instead responded. "A lot of presidents get none, I got three. And, uh, I think they’ve been three great choices too, by the way."

Democrats and others have questioned Trump’s mental fitness given his age. He frequently goes on long rants at rallies, ignores or misses questions and, at a Monday town hall, spent the majority of time dancing to music instead of answering questions.

Trump’s own age has been a question on the campaign trail. The issue was highlighted after an odd town hall on Monday that featured more dancing than questions and answers (AP)

Several experts previously told The Independent they had concerns similar to the ones they had about President Joe Biden, before the Democrat dropped out paving the way for Kamala Harris.

Dr. Ben Michaelis, a clinical psychologist who has previously carried out cognitive assessments for the New York Supreme Court, told The Independent that Trump is “really not in a strong cognitive place.”

Michaelis stressed that he had not personally examined Trump so he could offer no official diagnosis, but watched the former president debate against Harris.

“There’s a term when you’re talking about people with dementia called sundowning, it’s a lot harder for them as the day goes on,” he said,

“It’s very difficult for them to maintain focus on a topic. The idea of being able to maintain that level of focus for that amount of time, that late in the day…you wouldn’t think twice about it if that was your grandfather. It’s just he happens to be running for president.”