During his stop in Helsinki, Finland, Vice President Biden’s unpleasant struggle with the stairs once again became the center of attention. The 80-year-old president chose a shorter, less demanding staircase, but he still stumbled halfway up the 14 steps, prompting a brief scare before he continued on to the plane’s door.
Biden turned to address the bystanders at Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport, waving farewell as Air Force One prepared to depart for Joint Base Andrews after Biden’s discussions with Nordic leaders and participation in a NATO summit in Lithuania.
Since President Biden’s fall at the Air Force Academy in Colorado a month ago, he has been seen taking the shorter set of steps to board Air Force One. He was concerned about boarding the plane after tripping over a sandbag at the commencement ceremony.
When asked which set of stairs the president should take, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she was unaware of any official decision procedure. Previous presidents reportedly used the shorter stairs while entering the special Boeing 747-200B series aircraft during adverse weather.
On Thursday, President Biden experienced at least his fourth misstep while attempting to enter Air Force One. In a similar incident in February, he had trouble keeping his balance and fell forward on the stairs leading to the plane after returning from an overseas trip. The president had taken the lengthier of the two stairways at the time.
White House physician Kevin O’Connor performed the president’s yearly physical examination earlier this year, and the results provided light on Biden’s health. According to the findings, he walks with a limp because of severe arthritis in his spine, moderate arthritis in his feet after a foot fracture, and minor sensory peripheral neuropathy in his feet.
President Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, left Europe on Thursday night after a week full of missteps, including calling the Icelandic Prime Minister a “daughter of Ireland,” calling the Ukrainian President “Vladimir,” and missing the summit’s opening dinner. His departure capped off a busy visit that brought home the realities of his advanced age and the difficulties he faced as the United States’ top diplomat.