President Joe Biden took a dramatic fall Thursday while handing out diplomas at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation ceremony in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The incident occurred just after Biden delivered the commencement address and as he was handing out the last diploma at the graduation ceremony. The president, 80, was standing at the front of the stage and turned to head back to his seat when tripped and fell to the ground.
Video of the moment captured the fall and showed Biden remaining on the ground for several seconds before an air force officer and two Secret Service agents helped him back to his feet. After getting back to his feet, the president could be seen pointing to the place on stage where he lost his balance, with video showing sandbags placed in front of the podium near where Biden had been standing. The president returned to his seat without assistance.
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In a statement shared shortly after the incident, White House communications director Ben LaBolt tweeted that the president was “fine,” adding, “There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands.” Biden himself later joked about the incident, telling reporters after stepping off Marine One Thursday evening, “I got sandbagged,” referring to the sandbags he pointed to on the stage.
At 80 years old, Biden is the nation’s oldest sitting president. In April, he announced he would run in the 2024 presidential election for a second term. If re-elected, Biden would be 86 before the end of a second term, nearly a decade older than Ronald Reagan was when he left the White House in 1989. There has been plenty of concern regarding his age, with Biden having previously made public stumbles, including falling to the ground during a bike ride last year in Delaware.
Despite the concern, Biden’s doctor has said the president is physically fit to serve in office, per CNN. In recent physicals, Biden’s doctor has examined the president’s stiff gait, determining it was a result of “wear and tear” changes on Biden’s spine. Biden’s most recent physical determined the condition was unchanged, albeit with “possibly tighter hamstrings and calves.” Biden’s personal doctor said after the physical that Biden “remains a healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency.” Biden himself has also stated he has no concerns regarding his age. Just a day after he announced he was running, Biden said, “With regard to age … I guess how old I am. I can’t even say the number. It doesn’t register with me.”
