President Biden Tripped After Speech in US Air Force Academy Graduation

(Photo : BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
The 80-year-old US president was about to return to his seat when he tripped on stage.

US President Joe Biden stumbled on stage after delivering his speech to the United States Air Force Academy graduates in Colorado Springs, Colorado, earlier.

The president thanked the graduating cadets, who would go on to become new second lieutenants in the Air Force and the Space Force, for choosing "service over self" and would now bear the "great privilege" and "mighty responsibility" of leadership.

Addressing the Graduates

"Graduates, you made a noble choice to lead a life of service," he said. Biden noted that the graduating class 2023 made up the most diverse graduates in the academy's history. He called on them as junior officers to "root out the scourge of sexual assault and harassment in the military."

The president added that the new officers would need resilience, creativity, endurance, and commitment as they enter the Air Force and Space Force.

"Never forget the sacred oath you swear, and the mission you serve is far, far greater than any person or president," Biden said. "It's our Constitution, it's our country, and it's our enduring American values."

Biden's Hard Fall

The White House said the 80-year-old president was about to return to his seat when he tripped over a sandbag after shaking the hand of the very last cadet of the graduating class. The US Secret Service agents immediately assisted Biden in getting back at his feet.

"He's fine," said White House communications director Ben LaBolt. Biden is the oldest US president to sit in office, and many question his age and fitness to serve, which turn into points of argument for political rivals as he campaigns for his second term in 2024.

Other previous stumbles the president had included a time when he climbed the stairs to enter Air Force One and an incident where his foot caught up in his bike pedals while cycling near his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

In his most recent physical exam in February, Biden's doctor, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, noted he "remains a healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male, who is fit to execute the duties of the Presidency successfully."

While campaigning in Iowa for his second term, former president Donald Trump alluded to his tripping episode when he struggled to climb a slippery ramp when he attended the US Military Academy West Point graduation.

"I hope he wasn't hurt," he said. "If he fell, it's too bad. We gotta just get this thing back on track."

During his speech, Biden also expressed confidence that Sweden would become a member of NATO after the admission of neighboring Finland.

"[It] will happen. I promise you," he said. He also tackled other matters, such as the threat of climate change, the growing use of AI, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the rivalry between the US and China.