New video has emerged showing President Joe Biden bumping his head while exiting the Marine One helicopter last Thursday—mere hours after falling onstage at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s graduation ceremony in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
On videos posted to Twitter, the President is seen lightly bumping his head on Marine One’s doorframe, though White House journalists noted Biden looked “spry” once off the helicopter on the White House’s South Lawn.
Biden slammed his head on Marine One hours after tripping over his feet at the Air Force graduation yesterday. pic.twitter.com/Qetmcmefof
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) June 2, 2023
Two Accidents In One Week For Prez
The light knock in the dome came a few hours after President Biden, 80, took a tumble onstage at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation ceremony, apparently due to an errantly-placed sandbag.
BREAKING: Biden takes a big fall on stage just now at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation pic.twitter.com/GxkMbpyoNo
— Jake Schneider (@jacobkschneider) June 1, 2023
Biden appeared to be perfectly fine after the fall, and walked away with no issues after being helped to his feet. The President gestured to a sandbag on the Falcon Stadium stage afterwards, indicating the unseen obstacle had caused the trip. Biden was on hand to deliver the Academy's commencement speech, during which he praised the Academy grads for choosing "service over self," saying, "Graduates, you made a noble choice to lead a life of service. Now you also shoulder a great privilege and a mighty responsibility. Leadership, yeah—leadership."
The President added, "In the years ahead, your airmen and guardians are going to look to you for guidance and inspiration because the world is going to get more confusing. They'll put their trust in you. You, in turn, must strive to always be worthy of their confidence."
Trump's Surprisingly Sympathetic Response: 'Well, I Hope He Wasn't Hurt'
Many conservative critics called out the current President for his advanced age in the midst of the double accidents, wondering if his health is in the place it should be as Commander in Chief. However, one Biden "foe" had a particularly surprising and sympathetic response to the accident: former president Donald Trump.
Trump, when told of the fall at a campaign event, replied, "He actually fell down? Well, I hope he wasn't hurt, I hope he wasn't hurt." Of Trump's reaction, one Twitter user said, "I commend his response. This is decent."
Other users empathized with the President for his public gaffe:
To the ignorant people who are calling for President Joe Biden to be removed from office via the 25th Amendment because he tripped, here is a reminder that Franklin D. Roosevelt was confined to a wheelchair for his presidency.
Old people fall. Young people fall. Smart people… pic.twitter.com/iOwTELPVZo — Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) June 1, 2023
Responders to the Tweet agreed: "I can trip and fall standing still. It’s no big deal. Thankful he wasn’t hurt," said one. Another commented, "As if everyone never tripped in their life. Sure he is old but I think he is the right choice given the set of candidates we have and not to mention he has gotten so many things done, for the betterment of this country."
Following the incident, White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt tweeted, "He's fine. There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands." Biden himself joked after bumping his head on the helicopter door, "I got sandbagged," referring to the earlier fall.
