(USNewsMag.com) – President Joe Biden had another close call while climbing the steps of Air Force One on Tuesday, but managed to stop himself from falling like he has in previous incidents.
On Tuesday, February 20th, the president almost tripped while climbing the steps to board Air Force One, marking the latest sign of old age amid growing concern from Americans about Biden’s health and mental fitness.
The incident was captured on video and posted by RNC Research, which commented on the clip, pointing out how Biden almost tripped twice while climbing the steps and noting he’s still having trouble even after “using the short stairs to avoid tripping.” Although the president managed to keep his balance and make it onto the plane, the close call was captured on film at a time when the nation grows more concerned with Biden’s age and cognitive abilities.
According to a report last summer, Biden stopped using a longer staircase to board the plane in order to avoid future accidents after falling previously. NPR said that the president “more often than not” was “using a much shorter and sturdier” fold-out staircase installed on Air Force One to accommodate him. The change came after Biden fell multiple times trying to board his plane.
The New York Times reported that the president’s aides are trying anything they can to shield Biden “from verbal slips and physical stumbles,” including stationing a Secret Service agent at the bottom of the staircase.
Biden’s latest close call comes a few weeks after Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report determined that the president wouldn’t face any criminal charges for mishandling classified government material, which he had improperly stored at his Delaware residence and former Washington office. The report cited Biden’s old age and “poor memory” as one of the reasons, and claimed the jury would sympathize with him if he were to stand trial.
The president responded to Hur’s report by stating that although he is a “well-meaning” and an elderly man, he still “knows what the hell [he’s] doing” as commander-in-chief.
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