Former President Donald Trump has openly admitted to adopting a more cautious approach when boarding Air Force One, specifically taking the aircraft's stairs "nice and slow." This revelation came during a candid conversation on the relaunched podcast of Dan Bongino, the former deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who left his role last month.
Mocking Biden's Stumbles
Trump argued that the United States is "being laughed at" due to President Joe Biden's frequent stumbles, particularly referencing incidents involving Air Force One. "We see a guy falling up the stairs, going into an airplane," Trump remarked, highlighting the imagery that has influenced his own behaviour.
The 79-year-old former president emphasised his need for care, stating, "I've gotta be very careful going on." He elaborated, "I'm not looking to set any records. You don't want to go down. Could happen, could happen, but it can't happen three times in one shot."
Biden's History of Falls
Trump's comments allude to a notable incident on March 19, 2021, just under two months into Biden's term. While en route to Atlanta, Georgia, the then-78-year-old president tripped and fell three times on the red-carpeted staircase used to board Air Force One.
This was not an isolated event. Biden also stumbled over a sandbag during a commencement address, tumbled off his bike after his foot got stuck in a toe-clip, and experienced several other trips on Air Force One's stairs. By the end of his term, his staff had him boarding the Boeing 747 via the lower, internal staircase, a decision made in June 2023 to avoid questions about his physical stamina as he considered a reelection bid.
Trump's Own Physical Scrutiny
As the oldest person ever sworn in as president, Trump has faced similar scrutiny regarding his fitness. The White House has addressed issues like bruising on his hands and enlarged ankles, attributed by doctors to chronic venous insufficiency.
While Trump has not had any public spills, he was mocked in 2020 for awkwardly tip-toeing down a ramp. He acknowledged to Bongino that a stumble is always possible, saying, "I don't think you'll ever see anything like that, but it could happen. So I have to be a little bit open, I have to say it could happen, but you ever watch me, I come down nice and slow. I'm not looking to set in records."
Praise for Obama's Stair-Walking
Without naming him directly, Trump complimented former President Barack Obama for his style of navigating the stairs. "It's probably the only thing I respected," Trump said, though he added, "And yet it didn't look elegant at all."
He described Obama's approach: "He's bopping down, you know, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop. And I kept waiting for him to fall and he didn't." Obama was 55 years old when he left office in 2017.
Trump expressed a grudging admiration, noting, "I was impressed with his ability to go down the stairs like that. I mean, I wouldn't want to do it. You know, those stairs are very slippery, and I always used to say he's an accident waiting to happen, and to the best of my knowledge, it didn't happen, so I give him credit."
In contrast, he concluded, "But it happened many fold with Biden. Aye yi yi, what a president."
