Joe Biden tripped and fell on stage at the Air Force Academy’s commencement ceremony and as much as the White House would want to censor the video, it quickly went viral.
The President has just handed out the last diploma while standing for hours and just as he turned to start leaving, he didn’t notice a sandbag below – which tripped him and saw him falling on the ground before he was helped back to his feet by Secret Service agents and Air Force officials.
He walked away unassisted and continued to stand and greet people for the remainder of the ceremony.
According to reports, the sandbag was being used to steady his teleprompter.
“He’s fine. There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands,” Ben LaBolt, the White House communications director, tweeted as videos of the incident circulated online.
Biden responded to reporters at the White House saying, “I got sandbagged!” as they asked questions about how he was feeling.
He didn’t say anything beyond that — but appeared to try and show he was feeling okay by doing some footwork for the press before walking inside.
Though Biden wasn’t down for long, the falling event re-ignited the case about the fitness of the 80-year-old president, who is already the oldest American to hold the presidential office, seeking re-election for a second term. He will be 86 at the end of the second term should he win again in 2024.
Responding to matters relating to his age, Biden said it will be up to voters to judge “whether or not I have it or don’t have it.”
“I respect them taking a hard look at it — I’d take a hard look at it, as well. I took a hard look at it before I decided to run, and I feel good. I feel excited about the prospects,” he told ABC’s Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce in April.
According to a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll, 62-33% of Americans opined that Biden was not in good enough physical health to serve effectively.