Joe Biden is “100 percent fine,” White House Press Sec. Jen Psaki assured after the POTUS was filmed falling on the Air Force One steps on March 19. Biden lost his footing three times on the steps leading up to the presidential aircraft that Friday; the third tumble made him fall on both his knees and hands. Psaki explained at a daily briefing three days later that the steps are “a little tricky sometimes.”
AIR FORCE ONE: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is asked about President Biden's falls climbing up the stairs to Air Force One on Friday: "He's 100% fine." pic.twitter.com/4ad9EBJQYn
— Forbes (@Forbes) March 22, 2021
The press secretary was also asked if a doctor attended to Biden after his tumbles, and she responded, “I’m not aware of that being required. There’s, of course, a doctor who travels with the president, any president of the United States, but I’m not aware of it needing actual, extensive medical attention.”
US President Joe Biden is "doing 100% fine" after slipping while boarding Air Force Onehttps://t.co/39YtRSPSRT pic.twitter.com/QuLWYKENYa
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 19, 2021
Psaki clarified, however, that “there’s a doctor who travels” with the recently-inaugurated president. “He was walking around, as you all saw, by the end of the day. So I’m just trying to be completely transparent. He is absolutely fine,” she added.
It also appeared quite windy that day as the 78-year-old president struggled to hold on to the stairway’s railing. He did eventually make it into the aircraft, however, which flew the POTUS and Vice President Kamala Harris to Atlanta. There, they met with Asian-American leaders to discuss the increased violence their community has been facing in the wake of the tragic shootings at three spas in the Atlanta area on March 16.Eight people died in the shootings, and six were of Asian descent. A 21-year-old suspect named Robert Aaron Long has been charged with eight counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault in connection to the horrific shootings. In response to this tragedy — and the many acts of violence that Asian people have suffered amid the pandemic — Asian-American stars like Lana Condor, Mindy Kaling and more have called for people to stand in solidarity with their community and stop the hate.