Here's what former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz thinks about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez being too young to run for president
- In a recent interview with Business Insider's Kate Taylor, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz discussed his potential run for office.
- Schultz said he opposes lowering the age requirement to allow young politicians - such as 29-year-old Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - to run in the next presidential election.
- When asked about his stance on the topic, Schultz said he yields to the Constitution's rule of a 35-year age minimum.
On the topic of age restrictions, Howard Schultz yields to the Constitution.
When Business Insider's Kate Taylor asked Schultz if he thought it was fair that young politicians - such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - are unable to run for president, the Starbucks' founder and former CEO deferred to the Constitution.
"I would just yield to the Constitution that I think has served the American people well for a number of years," Schultz told Business Insider.
Since gaining popularity during the 2018 midterm elections, 29-year-old Ocasio-Cortez's age has come into question. Currently, candidates need to be 35 years old to run for office, making Ocasio-Cortez six years too young and an ineligible candidate for the upcoming 2020 election. Age has been discussed on the opposite end of the spectrum as well, as several candidates are currently in their late seventies.
Read more: Are Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden too old to run for president? Data suggests the answer is no
Schultz added that upholding this restriction is not about one person, and stated that the next president's experience - both life experience and professional experience - are crucial to succeed in office.
"We need the right person to be the next president of the United States, to navigate through a series of issues, serve the American people well, restore our standing in the world, and elevate the issues that we have discussed, specifically the level of inequality," said Schultz. "And I think most of all, restore trust and confidence in the promise of the country in leadership, in institutions, and in our government. Once again, I think we're talking about leadership, servant leadership. The next president of the United States needs to serve the American people, every single person.