During the “Air Force graduation ceremony,” Joe Biden stumbles and falls to the floor.

On Thursday, the president of the United States, Joe Biden, fell face-first onto the platform during the graduation ceremony at the “US Air Force Academy” in Colorado. The White House informed the public that, despite tripping over a sandbag, he was okay.

Biden saluted and shook hands with the graduates in Colorado Springs as he welcomed them. He turned to walk and lost his balance as he did so, falling as he went back to his seat. He received timely assistance from two US Secret Service agents and an Air Force officer.

Viewers who were concerned witnessed the incident occur, including those from the official delegation who were on stage. Despite the mishap, Biden—the 80-year-old oldest president in US history—quickly got up and returned to his seat to take in the remainder of the ceremony.

Ben LaBolt, the director of communications for the White House, posted on Twitter to reassure people that the president was healthy. He clarified that the incident happened as Biden was shaking hands on stage because there was a sandbag present. The script that Biden and the other speakers used was held up by two tiny black sandbags.

As he runs for re-election in 2024, Biden’s political enemies will use his age and physical fitness as talking points and his sporadic gaffes as political fodder. Prior incidents include stumbling when descending Air Force One’s stairs and being stuck in his bike’s pedals while pausing to chat with media close to his house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

It is important to note that Biden is not the first prominent American politician to make a public error. Republicans Bob Dole, the 1996 GOP presidential nominee, and President Gerald Ford both suffered falls when exiting Air Force One in 1975 and 1996, respectively. In 2012, when attending a function, President Barack Obama fell while walking up steps to the stage and jokingly blamed his lapse on being energised. Additionally raising questions about his health was President Donald Trump’s cautious slide down a ramp during the 2020 West Point commencement.