By Isabel van Brugen and Shane Croucher
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President Donald Trump stumbled as he walked up the stairs to board Air Force One on Sunday, quickly correcting himself.
The incident occurred at Morristown, New Jersey as Trump boarded the aircraft bound for Washington, D.C.
Why It Matters
Such slips by former President Joe Biden captured much attention from Trump and his supporters online during the previous administration. Such incidents now add fuel to the narratives concerning the president's age.
Read More on Politics
What To Know
Trump lost his footing momentarily after a few steps, but steadied himself by gripping the railing, videos show. He then continued his climb up to Air Force One.
Social media users were quick to poke fun at the president, particularly in light of his past remarks mocking his predecessor for similar stumbles.
In 2023, Trump and his supporters mocked Biden after he stumbled and fell to his knees at the Air Force Graduation ceremony in Colorado.
Trump described the fall as "not inspiring" for those who witnessed it, but added: "I hope he wasn't hurt. I hope he wasn't hurt...You don't want that."
He recalled the moment he had to walk carefully down a ramp at the Army's West Point graduation ceremony in 2020, comparing it to "an ice-skating rink."
"The whole thing is crazy, you have got to be careful about that, you don't want that even if you have to tip-toe down a ramp," Trump said.
The president also said in 2023 that "Joe Biden can't even walk up a flight of stairs on Air Force One and he can't put two sentences together," as he called the Biden administration incompetent.
...
Some social media users on X (formerly Twitter) ripped into Trump for the stumble, and some questioned whether footage of the incident was generated by AI.
One X user said sarcastically that Trump was "thinking about Elon [Musk]" when he tripped—a reference to a bitter feud that has erupted between the pair which appears to have ended the cozy relationship they enjoyed in the early months of the president's second term in office.
The public rift between Trump and the world's richest person centers on the Trump-backed "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." Musk described the spending package as fiscally reckless and a "disgusting abomination" that would undermine his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by adding trillions to the U.S. budget deficit.
Trump hit back by saying the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has "Trump Derangement Syndrome."
The president in April said he passed a physical examination which states that he "exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health."
What People Are Saying
The stumble was met with mixed reaction on X, with users saying:
"GEEZUS! IS HE GONNA MAKE IT 4 YEARS?"
"He was thinking about Elon."
"According to MAGA this means he's unfit for office, right?"
"He's probably exhausted."
"The old man is deteriorating rapidly; there needs to be an internal conversation about placing Trump in a wheelchair."
"We should really be questioning if Sleepy Don can be a functioning president."
"I remember him making fun of biden for the same thing.."
"Looks like ai."
What Happens Next
Trump has signaled that his relationship with Musk is over. "I would assume so, yeah," he told NBC News on Saturday when pressed on the matter.
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