Overview
- Romney, who spoke on the Deseret Voices podcast on Friday, July 10, 2026, said people 80 and above should not be running the country.
- He reiterated he will not run for president in 2028 and said his own age was a key reason he left the Senate in 2025.
- Romney cited Bill Bryson’s book The Body, saying the author reports the human brain can shrink by about 20 percent by age 80.
- Reporters and outlets interpreted the remarks as a veiled criticism of President Trump and President Biden, and they feed into a wider debate over presidential age and fitness for office.
- The comments could increase pressure for clearer health disclosures for senior leaders and sharpen Republican talk about recruiting younger candidates while reminding voters of Romney’s long record of criticizing Trump.