President Joe Biden fell on stage during the Air Force Academy graduation on Thursday, according to video footage, while a White House official stressed that the president is fine.
Biden appeared to fall to his knees, but he was quickly helped back to his feet by White House officials during the event in Colorado Springs. Biden, 80, appeared to point to a black sandbag on the stage, according to footage.
Biden did not appear hurt by the fall and continued to stand until the end of the ceremony, pool reporters say. “President Biden fell down on stage after handing out the last diploma to the Air Force cadets. He appeared to slip and fall going down on his knees. He was helped up by Air Force officials,” according to a pool report.
The White House responded to the video of Biden’s fall by saying that the president is “fine,” adding on Twitter: “There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands.”
Biden did not take questions as he boarded Air Force One after the ceremony, according to reports. But White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted that Biden was “totally fine” as she boarded the plane.
Former President Donald Trump responded to Biden’s fall while he was campaigning in Iowa on Thursday.
“I hope he’s not hurt. The whole thing is crazy … even if you have to tip-toe down the ramp,” the former president and leading GOP candidate told reporters, referring to his own experience at the U.S. Military Academy in 2020. “At the Air Force Academy? That’s not inspiring,” Trump added.
Biden is currently the oldest person to serve as president in U.S. history. If he is reelected, Biden will be 86 years old upon leaving office in 2029.
Since Biden was elected, there have been questions about his age and whether he’s fit to serve as commander-in-chief. He was again asked about his age during an April interview with ABC News and responded by saying that it would “be up to the voters.”
“I respect them taking a hard look at it. I’d take a hard look at it, as well. I took a hard look at it before I decided to run, and I feel good. I feel excited about the prospects,” he told ABC at the time, coming after he launched his reelection bid.
A recent Washington Post-ABC News survey found that 33 percent of American adults believe Biden is in good enough physical shape to serve as president. About 64 percent said that Trump, 76, is fit enough to serve.
But Biden’s medical staff has said he is fit enough to be president. “President Biden remains a healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency,” the White House physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, said in a memo released earlier this year.