First Lady Jill Biden Rejects Nikki Haley’s Proposal for Politicians Over 75 to Take Mental Competency Test

First Lady Jill Biden has strongly rejected a proposal by Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley for politicians over the age of 75 to take a mental competency test. In an interview with CNN set to air Monday, the first lady called the idea “ridiculous” and said she and President Joe Biden would never even consider such an idea.

The proposal was made by Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and South Carolina governor, in the context of the upcoming 2024 presidential election. When asked if her husband, who would be 82 at his inauguration if reelected, would consider taking such a test, Jill Biden said, “We would never even discuss something like that.”

The first lady also pushed back on concerns about President Biden’s age, saying she was “all for” her husband running for reelection. She noted that the president has been in office for over a year and has accomplished a great deal, including the passage of the American Rescue Plan.

The Biden administration has not responded to Haley’s proposal, but other Democrats have spoken out against it. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, called the proposal “insulting” and said it was “based on ageism and sexism.”

Haley has not commented on the first lady’s remarks, but her proposal has been widely criticized by Democrats and Republicans alike. The idea of mandatory mental competency tests for politicians over the age of 75 is seen by many as an attack on the elderly and a violation of their rights.