President Joe Biden, age 81, nearly tripped twice when ascending the stairs to Air Force One recently, potentially putting himself at risk for injury and hospitalization.
The president was seen ascending slightly shorter stairs than usual when he nearly tripped twice, with no Secret Service agent accompanying him, though agents have recently been seen watching him closely from the bottom of the stairs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults 65 years or older have an increased risk of injury should they suffer a fall.
Falls are common and costly, especially among Americans age 65 and older. But falls are preventable and do not have to be an inevitable part of aging.
Every second of every day, an older adult (age 65+) suffers a fall in the U.S.—making falls the leading cause of injury and injury death in this age group. One out of four older adults will fall each year in the United States, making falls a public health concern, particularly among the aging population.
Though a physical exam declared Biden “fit for duty” last year, it did say that the president suffers from a stiff gait and neuropathy in the feet, which calls into question why the Secret Service will not at least stand close to the president as he ascends a lengthy staircase. As Breitbart News reported, the president previously tripped and caught himself on his way up the stairs to Air Force One last year while visiting Poland. He did the same thing in 2021 when he stumbled multiple times boarding his transport.
“In March 2021, Biden fell three times as he boarded the stairs of Air Force One, for which the wind was also blamed,” Breitbart News reported.
“Some observers fear that Biden’s physical state may be representative of his mental state,” it added.
In March 2023, the president once again stumbled on his way up to Air Force One with no Secret Service agents by his side in case he fell.
A recent ABC News/Ipsos poll showed that Americans overwhelmingly feel that Biden is now too old to serve another term.