Biden trips up Air Force One’s shorter staircase

News

by Victor Nava

July 13, 2023 | 7:34 p.m

President Biden again stumbled climbing stairs to board Air Force One Thursday, though using a shorter, less daunting staircase to board the plane.

The 80-year-old president reached the middle of the 14-step staircase connected to Air Force One in Helsinki, Finland, when take a slip He appeared to prepare for impact before quickly recovering and making it to the lower entrance of the plane.

Biden turned and waved to viewers at Helsinki Fantaan International Airport as Air Force One prepared to depart for Joint Base Andrews after the president’s visit with Nordic leaders after a two-day NATO summit in Lithuania.

The president has been seen climbing Air Force One using a shorter set of stairs since he took a hard fall at the Air Force Academy in Colorado last month after tripping on a sandbag during a graduation ceremony.

White House press secretary Karen Jean-Pierre told reporters last month that she was not aware of this “any decision process” made for the flight of stairs used by the President when boarding Air Force One.

Former presidents are said to have done so Use the shorter stairs To board and disembark the highly customized Boeing 747-200B when the weather is inclement.

Thursday’s misstep appears to be at least the fourth time the president has fallen while trying to board Air Force One.

In February, Biden also had problems keeping his balance on his way home from an international flight, as he was photographed falling forward about halfway up the plane leaving Warsaw, Poland.

In that case, the president was using the plane’s taller stairs.

White House physician Kevin O’Connor noted in a five-page report released after the president’s annual physical exam earlier this year that Biden has a stiff gait due to “severe arthritis in the spine, mild post-fracture arthritis in the foot, and neuropathy.” Light Sensory Peripheral. Ft.”

Biden, the oldest president in US history, departs Europe Thursday night after a week full of missteps in which he referred to Icelandic Prime Minister Katrin Jacobsdottir as “Ireland’s daughter,” called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “Vladimir,” and skipped the summit to the opening dinner, where major diplomacy takes place. Often.