First Lady Jill Biden dismissed statements made by Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley who called for politicians over the age of 75 to undergo mental capacity tests, according to reports.
CNN reported that in an interview set to air on the network on Monday night, the first lady called the proposal ridiculous, and when asked if the president would consider taking a mental capacity test if elected, she said, ‘We would never even discuss something like that.’
Haley, 51, threw her name into the hat as a Republican presidential candidate last month and made headlines after calling for ‘mental competency tests.’
President Biden turned 80 in November and former President Trump, also a candidate for president this go-round, is 76.
A Fox News Poll conducted in late February found that, overall, 77% of Americans favor requiring such tests, with 83% of millennials, 84% of GenXers and 66% of Baby Boomers supporting the idea.
The study also found that 87% of Republicans, 74% of Independents and 67% of Democrats surveyed favor the mental capacity tests, as well.
Still, the First Lady rejected the idea of the tests when interviewed by CNN.
‘How many 30-year-olds could travel to Poland, get on the train? Go nine more hours, go to Ukraine, meet with President (Volodymyr) Zelensky?’ she asked the news network. ‘So, look at the man. Look at what he’s doing. Look at what he continues to do each and every day.’
The First Lady is not the first to reject Haley’s proposal, and likely will not be the last.
In fact, former Vice President Mike Pence disagreed with the presidential hopeful’s proposal in an interview with CBS last week.
‘I come from southern Indiana, where people think most politicians should have a competency test,’ Pence, 63, joked. ‘No, I think the American people can sort that out. I really do.’