Donald Trump expressed concern for Vice President Joe Biden upon learning about his recent fall on stage at the Air Force Academy, even making a lighthearted joke about himself.
When informed of the 80-year-old’s stumble, the former president was overheard saying, “Did he really fall? I hope he’s okay.” The incident took place during a campaign trail event in Iowa.
The incident has amplified existing concerns about Biden’s age and health, with images of him needing assistance to regain his footing further fueling those worries.
Trump cautioned against drawing drastic conclusions, remarking, “Everything about this is crazy. Take it with a grain of salt.” He referenced his own experience descending a ramp, playfully recalling his “spirited walk” at West Point three years ago.
After his speech at the West Point commencement in June 2020, Trump faced scrutiny and speculation about his health due to his seemingly cautious steps and two-handed approach while drinking water.
In a tweet following the speech, Trump explained, “The ramp I walked down after my West Point Commencement speech was very long, steep, had no handrail, and, most importantly, was very slippery.” This incident triggered similar inquiries and concerns about his well-being, much like the recent episode with Biden.
During the commencement ceremony, President Biden briefly lost his balance and fell to his knees, necessitating assistance to rise again. It marked the latest instance of a momentary loss of equilibrium for the president, but this time, it brought him down.
Though Biden quickly recovered and stood up after the fall, the incident drew attention. A black sandbag near the podium where Biden delivered his speech was later blamed by the White House as the cause of the mishap.
White House Spokesman Ben LaBolt swiftly reassured the public via a tweet, stating, “He’s perfectly fine.” A sandbag had seemingly made an appearance on the stage while Biden was greeting the crowd.
This stumble comes just weeks after Biden’s fall at the Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima, Japan. On that occasion, he managed to use a handrail while descending stairs but disregarded it, resulting in a momentary loss of balance before regaining his footing. In March, Biden also stumbled while boarding Air Force One for a visit to Selma, Alabama.
Both incidents, in 2021 and earlier this year, led to minor injuries for Biden, but he escaped major harm in all cases.
According to a pool reporter accompanying the president during his Colorado trip, Biden fell while returning to his seat, seemingly tripping on a black sandbag on the stage.
Biden himself reportedly attributed the fall to the presence of a black sandbag.
