US President Joe Biden is “doing fine” after stumbling on the steps as he climbed aboard Air Force One, the White House said on Friday.
Boarding a flight to Atlanta, where he was to speak to the Asian-American community about a shooting there this week, Biden stumbled slightly about halfway up stairs, recovered, then stumbled again and briefly went down on one knee.
The president appeared to rub his left knee before getting back up, then completed the stairs at a slower pace. He stopped at the top of the stairs, turned around and offered a salute.
White House spokeswoman Jean-Pierre suggested high winds may have been a factor, and said Biden “is doing 100 percent fine.”
At 78, Biden was the oldest person ever to assume the presidency when he entered the White House on Jan. 20.