While distributing diplomas at a graduation ceremony for the US Air Force Academy in Colorado, US President Joe Biden took a tumble and fell.
At the age of 80, Mr Biden holds the record for being the oldest serving president in the nation, yet he swiftly rose back to his feet and seemed to be in good health.
The president had been on his feet for approximately ninety minutes to greet each of the 921 cadets graduating.
The White House communications director had earlier reassured that “he’s fine”.
“There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands,” Ben LaBolt posted on Twitter after Thursday’s fall.
“I got sandbagged,” Mr Biden, grinning, quipped to the press as he arrived back at the White House that evening.
An earlier report from a White House press pool indicated that Mr Biden had tripped over a black sandbag while navigating the stage.
Video evidence of the incident captured Mr Biden gesturing towards one of two sandbags supporting his teleprompter, assisted by an Air Force official and two Secret Service agents.
After the incident, he was seen returning unassisted to his seat, only to sprint back to his motorcade as the ceremony concluded shortly thereafter.
Upon returning to his aircraft, the president did not field any questions, the pool reporter added.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre mentioned that Mr Biden was feeling “totally fine” and boarded the plane flashing “a big smile”.
Detractors of Mr Biden have argued that he’s too aged to campaign for a second term as president.
Recent surveys indicate a significant portion of US voters express worry about his advanced age. If victorious, he would be 82 at the commencement of a second term.
This recent stumble, coupled with previous incidents such as falls from his bicycle and Air Force One stairs, might compound these worries.
Reacting to the incident from a campaign event in Iowa, former President Donald Trump, the Republican favourite to challenge Mr Biden in the 2024 White House race, remarked, “the whole thing is crazy”.
“I hope he wasn’t hurt,” said the 76-year-old Mr Trump, known for teasing Mr Biden about his age. “That’s not inspiring.”
“You got to be careful about that because you don’t – you don’t want that. Even if you have to tip toe down the ramp,” Mr Trump added, seemingly recalling his own cautious stage descent which made news in 2020.
At that time, he dismissed the subsequent media queries about his health as fake news, claiming the ramp at the US Military Academy in West Point, New York, was slippery.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another potential Republican candidate for 2024, also responded to the incident during a campaign event in New Hampshire: “We hope and wish Joe Biden a swift recovery from any injuries he may have sustained.”
“But we also wish the United States of America a swift recovery from the injuries it has sustained because of Joe Biden and his policies.”
The last medical checkup for Mr Biden was conducted in February.
“The President remains fit for duty, and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations,” noted White House physician Dr Kevin O’Connor.
Dr O’Connor stated Mr Biden walks with a “stiffened gait”, mainly due to his spine’s wear and tear and nerve damage in his feet, but his condition remained the same as his November 2021 physical.
Several former commanders-in-chief have been caught on camera losing their balance.
President Barack Obama tripped while ascending stairs at an event in 2012, and President Gerald Ford fell down the Air Force One stairs in 1975.
