President Joe Biden showed off Thursday as he successfully walked down the long stairway of Air Force One after arriving in Chicago for a campaign stop.
Video shows Biden bolted down a few stairs before pausing, seemingly shocked that he had kept his balance so far. He continued down the staircase until he reached the ground without stumbling or falling.
Biden successfully navigates the big stairs after arriving in Chicago pic.twitter.com/rq4BFXjwzS
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 9, 2023
The president’s campaign is reportedly “terrified” of the 80-year-old having a bad fall, Axios reported in September. As concerns grow regarding Biden’s age, his campaign has focused on ensuring that he does not trip by dressing Biden in tennis shoes and shortening staircases. However, Biden was allowed to brave the “big stairs” for the re-election event.
Biden previously fell while walking up the stairs to board Air Force One in March 2021, and fell again in June as he walked across the stage at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation ceremony. He stumbled walking up the stairs of the stage at a Philadelphia event last month, grasping the railing to remain standing. (RELATED: Biden Gets Testy With Peter Doocy, Denies He’s Trailing Trump In Swing States)
Biden has been attending physical therapy sessions since 2021 in an effort to improve his balance, often going to appointments with Drew Contreras, a physical therapist who also worked with former President Barack Obama, Axios reported. The president’s physician has diagnosed Biden with “a combination of significant spinal arthritis” and “mild post-fracture foot arthritis,” which have reportedly led to balance problems.
The president has reportedly admitted in private to feeling “tired,” despite publicly insisting that he remains fit for office.