Speculation about Donald Trump's fear of stairs has resurfaced after the US president was seen taking the steps of Air Force One slowly, following Joe Biden's recent stumble. The theory, first reported by The Telegraph and Politico, suggests that Trump's hand-holding with Theresa May during a 2017 visit was due to a phobia of stairs and ramps, not a sudden rush of emotion. May's spokeswoman told The Times: 'They were walking along. There was an unseen ramp. He put out his hand. She took it.'
Bathmophobia, or fear of stairs and slopes, is not officially recognised in the DSM-5, the main diagnostic manual for psychiatric disorders. Dr Abigael San, a chartered clinical psychologist in north London, told BBC Newsbeat that she had never heard of the term, but believes such a fear would fall under a broader fear of heights. She added that people often coin specific names for their phobias, which experts may not recognise.
Trump's own history suggests a possible fear of stairs. In a 2014 tweet, he criticised President Obama's descent from Air Force One, writing: 'The way President Obama runs down the stairs of Air Force 1, hopping & bobbing all the way, is so inelegant and unpresidential. Do not fall.' This has been cited as evidence of his own concern.
Dr San explains that phobias can stem from biological or environmental factors. A fear of heights, for instance, has evolutionary roots, while a fear of stairs might develop after witnessing an accident. Trump has also been open about his germophobia, writing in his 1997 book 'The Art of the Comeback' that he is a 'clean hands freak' who dislikes shaking hands. Dr San notes that both phobias 'indicate something about an anxious presentation,' but adds that anxiety can be channelled positively, as seen in successful performers with stage fright.
