“I’m in the Same Line as Jesus”: Millionaire Biohacker Bryan Johnson Sets Out to Defeat Death and Rejuvenate Trump

The former tech entrepreneur, who spends $2 million a year trying to reverse his body’s aging, has compared himself with Jesus, Buddha and Muhammad. Now, 49-year-old Johnson hopes to live to 150 — and, in case he fails, he is creating his own digital replica using artificial intelligence.

Bryan Johnson, one of the world’s best-known advocates of radical life extension, believes humanity has been given its first opportunity in 2,000 years to rethink death. In an interview with The Telegraph, the entrepreneur described himself as a messiah-like figure and said his ideas continue a tradition of religious teachers who sought to explain the nature of life and death.

“I’m in the same line as they are,” Johnson said, naming Jesus, Buddha and Muhammad. In his view, modern technology offers the possibility of overcoming limitations that were once considered inevitable.

He calls his philosophy Don’t Die. Its goal is not simply to slow aging, but to fundamentally change society’s attitude toward longevity. Johnson dreams of a future in which the most important values are no longer wealth and power, but human existence itself.

Millions of Dollars in Pursuit of Youth

The founder of Braintree, an online payment processing company later acquired by PayPal, amassed a fortune of more than $100 million. He now devotes a substantial portion of his resources to experiments on his own body.

Johnson spends around $2 million a year on his longevity program, known as Blueprint. He follows a strict vegan diet, takes dozens of pills every day and meticulously tracks his physiological indicators — down to nighttime erections. He compares some of his data with that of his 21-year-old son and publishes the results online, where millions of people follow his progress.

Johnson is now 49. He acknowledges that his body continues to age at the cellular level, but says he feels younger. According to him, doctors on his team estimate his biological age at 18.

Johnson insists that he is not selling the public a fantasy of immortality, but trying to establish a new system of values. His longevity philosophy comes with a slogan on his website: “Join or Die.”

Illness Has Not Deterred Him from His Goal

In June, Johnson announced that he had been diagnosed with autoimmune gastritis, a condition in which the immune system attacks the lining of the stomach. There is no effective treatment for the condition. The biohacker rejected suggestions that his illness might be linked to his longevity regimen and vowed to try to find a solution.

His diagnosis prompted considerable mockery online. Johnson believes people take particular pleasure in seeing someone who has challenged death fail — especially when that person is wealthy.

The entrepreneur acknowledges that his behavior can seem absurd to others. He describes himself as neurodivergent, strange and inclined to defy social conventions, and sometimes compares his public persona to performance art. Yet behind the theatrics, the journalist suggests, lies a serious conviction that aging can be defeated.

Now He Wants to Rejuvenate Trump

Johnson says influential people from around the world approach him for help with a range of health problems. One person whose health particularly interests him is U.S. President Donald Trump.

“I’d love to work on Trump,” the biohacker said. In his view, presidents and other decision-makers whose actions affect millions of people should pay greater attention to their health and lifestyle.

Johnson believes the public should have broader access to information about the health of heads of state. He also advocates discussing age-related limitations among political leaders. He compares the situation to driving under the influence: when a person’s actions could endanger others, society should also consider the consequences of age-related changes in those running a country.

Even if Johnson fails to live forever or reach his target age of 150, however, he hopes to preserve himself in digital form. The entrepreneur is working on an AI-powered clone, feeding the model his thoughts, feelings and life experiences.

He describes the project as a kind of backup copy that he hopes to leave to his children, his girlfriend and his millions of followers. Johnson acknowledges, however, that no one can confidently predict how artificial intelligence will change humanity — or whether it will ultimately do more good than harm.

The uncertainty does not frighten him. Asked what he likes most about life, the biohacker gave an unexpected answer: the element of surprise. It seems that even someone determined to control every minute of his existence is leaving room for the unexpected.