Heading to Atlanta to meet Asian-American community leaders following a shooting at a spa in the US state of Georgia, President Joe Biden stumbled upon the staircase thrice while boarding Air Force One.
Footage of President Joe Biden tripping as he walks up the stairs to board Air Force One has drawn starkly different, and generally partisan, reactions online.
Conservative critics of Biden seized on the video to suggest he was in poor health or even suffering from dementia—a Donald Trump campaign attack line for which there is no evidence.
Meanwhile, supporters downplayed the falls and focused on his work ethic and achievements around economic stimulus and vaccines, during his brief time in office.
Videos capturing the moment have been widely shared on social media, one Twitter post having been viewed more than 11 million times in less than a day.
Biden was boarding Air Force One in Atlanta, Georgia for a trip to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. After the incident, White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield tweeted that Biden was “just fine” and did not require any medical attention.
“Nothing more than a misstep on the stairs,” Bedingfield wrote.
But critics saw the incident differently. Former President Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., offered criticism that was widely shared among conservative circles.
“I’m really looking forward to all the tele-physicians who attacked Trump getting on TV and discussing how Biden’s loss of balance and constant loss of train of thought is a serious symptom of neurological deficiency and dementia…. because it is,” he tweeted.
Controversial conservative commentator Candace Owens said of the footage, “It’s difficult to fall 3 times while going up a flight of steps.
“Managing to make your left shoulder blade hit the carpet in the process is rarely accomplished—even in a game of Twister,” before repeating unfounded dementia claims.
Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, Representative for Florida, tweeted: “Joe Biden exudes weakness.”
The falling incident follows recent focus on remarks by Biden where he referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as “President Harris,” which some critics also took as evidence of a declining mental state. However, Biden has a long history of verbal gaffes and errors. Attacks on his mental capacity were also deployed during the 2020 election.
Air Force One
For U.S. presidents traveling on Air Force One, the red-carpeted presidential aircraft stairs have been the scene for many slips, trips, tumbles and other embarrassing gaffes over the past six decades.
Yesterday, President Joe Biden became the latest U.S. leader to have a mishap while boarding or deplaning the official aircraft. The president tripped up the steps to Air Force One three times, falling on his hands and knees the final time. He quickly recovered, continuing up to the stairway landing before turning around for a salute.
It was one of a long list of unfortunate episodes since Air Force One was introduced about in 1962, during the administration of John F. Kennedy. Nearly four decades later, in 1998, Air Force Two was introduced for the Vice President, First Lady, their families and other national political executives.
Here are the three most memorable Air Force One missteps by U.S. presidents.
June 1975 – President Ford Slid Down The Air Force One Stairs
The most ruthlessly scorned incident was a rainy-day wipe out by President Gerald Ford in 1975. While visiting Vienna, Austria for talks with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, Ford’s bum knee gave way and he tumbled down the last few Air Force One stairs. He was unhurt and quipped, “I am sorry I tumbled in.” Ford had so many falls (down and up) stairs during his presidency that it became an ongoing joke for pratfall-king Chevy Chase on Saturday Night Live.
October 2018 – Toilet Paper Stuck On President Trump’s Shoe
After attending a rally in Minneapolis ahead of the 2018 midterms, President Donald Trump had his own embarrassing and much-discussed AF1 moment. Upon exiting the presidential limo at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Trump scaled the stairs of the aircraft with what appeared to be toilet paper stuck to the bottom of his shoe. An aide later claimed it was not bathroom tissue but rather “a small, squarish, moist, wet piece of paper.”
March 2021 – President Biden Trips Three Times On AF1 Stairs
Though yesterday’ incident ended with a routine salute, Joe Biden’s triple-trip while scaling the red-carpeted steps to Air Force One was nevertheless publicly scorned, especially on conservative media. Biden was taking a round-trip flight to Atlanta to meet with Asian-American community leaders in the wake of the massage parlor massacre.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
June 2020 – V.P. Mike Pence Falls Up The Steps Of Air Force Two
Last summer, Vice President Mike Pence had a moment remarkably similar to President Biden’s. The former veep was filmed running, then tripping, up the staircase of Air Force Two. Pence had almost reached the top of the stairs when he suddenly lunged forward, using his hands to break his fall. He quickly picked himself up, bounded up the remaining steps, straightened his jacket and tie, and offered a wave and a thumbs up before entering the plane.
March 2015 – Barack Obama Has Near Tumble On AF1 Stairs
In 2015, President Barack Obama made a slight miscalculation on the top steps of the Air Force One stairway that could have been disastrous had he tumbled forward. Instead, Obama quickly righted himself by grabbing the rails, then hustled down the rest of the steps without a bother.
The President was “doing fine” after his fall, informed White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre. “It was very windy. I almost fell coming up the steps myself. He is doing 100 per cent fine. He’s doing fine”, said Pierre.
“He’s doing fine. He’s preparing for the trip just fine.”
Pierre did not comment on whether Biden had been checked by a traveling physician after the incident.
