- A Secret Service agent now stands at the bottom of the stairs of Air Force One
- An extra precaution in case President Joe Biden falls again
- Comes amid a series of stumbles since taking office — and growing concerns about the president’s physical and mental fitness for office
A Secret Service agent now stands at the bottom of the steps of Air Force One as an extra precaution in case 81-year-old President Joe Biden falls again.
Some of the smallest details of Biden’s routine have come under scrutiny in recent months, including his routine of getting on and off his plane amid a series of stumbles.
After a series of stumbles, Biden began taking the shorter stairs under the belly of Air Force One over the past year, instead of going up and down the larger and much longer stairs traditionally used to board the presidential Boeing 747 to go.
The physical stumbles are accompanied by an increase in verbal blunders, calling into question his mental fitness for office. A huge 86 percent of voters in a poll released earlier in February do not think the oldest in US history is fit for another term in the White House – despite Biden running virtually unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
A Secret Service agent (pictured left) now stands at the bottom of the steps of Air Force One as an extra precaution in case President Joe Biden were to fall again
Biden has fallen on the steps of Air Force One several times, prompting frequent use of the shorter, lower abdominal stairs over the past year. Pictured: Biden falls to his knees after slipping three times while climbing the stairs of Air Force One on March 18, 2021
It comes after special counsel Robert Hur’s report was released this month and revealed through interviews with Biden that he observed the president’s “poor memory” and “decreased abilities in old age.”
A report from the New York Times acknowledged the addition of a Secret Service agent who joined members of the military gathered at the bottom of the steps of Air Force One as Biden boarded and disembarked the plane, as an extra precaution for the trip-prone president.
Biden’s entire life in office has come under careful management in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election.
His gait has become stuttering after Biden refused to wear an orthopedic boot after breaking his foot — likely leading to some of the stumbles and missteps of his presidency. Doctors have found him to be healthy, but say his gait remains “stiff” and could get worse over time.
Just two months after Biden was inaugurated, concerns arose about his tripping hazard.
Biden looks back at a sandbag as he is helped off the ground after falling on stage during the Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on June 1, 2023.
Two Air Force agents and one Secret Service agent wait for Biden at the bottom of the shorter staircase leading to the lower entrance of Air Force One
In March 2021, Biden, then 78 years old, stumbled up the stairs as he boarded Air Force One. As he balanced himself to climb the stairs, he lost his balance two more times and fell to his knees before successfully reaching the top.
The White House blamed the wind that day — but the stumble would soon become routine for Biden.
In May 2022, Biden slipped while entering Air Force One. This time he didn’t hit the ground.
Just a month later, Biden had an embarrassing moment when he fell off his bike during a ride with wife Jill while at their home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
The president was about to stop to speak to a group of reporters when he fell sideways to the ground and remained there for 10 seconds before being helped to his feet by Secret Service officials.
The White House’s excuse this time was that Biden’s foot got stuck in a pedal when he tried to dismount.
Biden ended a visit to Europe in February 2023 by almost falling again on the stairs of Air Force One while climbing the stairs. He used his hands on the steps to steady himself and keep himself from falling completely.
One of the worst falls occurred after he gave a speech at the Air Force Academy in Colorado in June 2023.
The president tripped over a sandbag as he walked onto the stage and fell to the ground. The Secret Service and other bystanders were needed to help Biden get back on his feet.