Democrat President Joe Biden almost created another humiliating viral video as he struggled to exit Air Force One in Michigan Tuesday.
The near-miss occurred moments after Biden touched down at the Detroit Metro Airport.
After landing, Biden was greeted on the runway by United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain, Michigan Lt. Gov. Garland Gilchrist, and US Reps. Debbie Dingell, Rashida Tlaib, and Shri Thanedar, all Michigan Democrats.
As he disembarked the jet, Biden slipped as he hobbled down the steps and was forced to grab the handrail to stop himself from tumbling to the bottom.
Despite the hair-raising moment, Biden recovered his footing and appeared unbothered by the gaffe.
Footage of the incident, however, quickly caught fire on social media.
WATCH:
ANOTHER ANGLE: Biden nearly trips as he exits Air Force One using the short stairs — which his staffers make him use to avoid tripping pic.twitter.com/RBcactMYHN
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 26, 2023
The video was met with increased mockery as it emerged amid earlier reports that Biden has been doing balancing exercises in order to avoid more public falls.
Biden has been hoping to avoid any more literal slip-ups as his team frets over polls showing that three-quarters of Americans think he is too old for a second term.
In addition to meeting with physical therapist Drew Contreras, Biden has been spotted opting for sneakers rather than slippery dress shoes.
The 80-year-old president is also using the shorter staircase to help him reach Air Force One’s flight deck.
After spending about 12 minutes at the UAW picket line and just over an hour total in Michigan, Biden boards AF1 using the short stairs and heads to California for a ritzy fundraiser with Hollywood liberals pic.twitter.com/UyFFEKA4J8
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 26, 2023
Needless to say, critics were unimpressed by Tuesday’s stumble as the video of the Detroit slip made the rounds on social media.
“This is a terrible look for the President of the United States,” tweeted Mike Davis, the former chief counsel for nominations to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA).
“Install a chair lift for the geezer in chief,” another commenter mocked.
Some onlookers, however, jumped to Biden’s defense.
“Have you ever slightly stumbled walking down stairs in your life?” liberal influencer Brian Krassenstein desperately scoffed.
“Does that mean you are bad at your job or should be fired?” he continued.
“I don’t understand the fixation of the GOP with Biden tripping,” another observer shrugged.
“He’s an old man, he’s going to do that once in a while.”
Biden’s balance issues are likely related to arthritis in his spine and foot, the Axios report said Tuesday.
His condition has been under scrutiny in recent months following several troubling incidents.
Most notably, Biden stumbled and fell at the Air Force Academy in June.
Air Force One has become a frequent site of Biden’s slips.
In March 2021 alone, Biden was foiled by the stairs up to the aircraft three times.
“[The reports are] an unfortunate pattern of media attempting to sensationalize something that has long been public,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said of Americans’ concern about Biden’s fitness for office.
“This isn’t new, it was proactively and transparently disclosed,” he insisted.
After brushing off his trip-up, Biden spent 12 minutes with striking auto workers before reboarding Air Force One about an hour later.
Despite his apparent confidence, the president seemed muddled at the strike meeting as well.
READ MORE: Biden Blows It, Calls Rapper ‘Boy’ While Speaking to Congressional Black Caucus
