Steady on Joe! Biden, 81, catches himself after tripping

President Joe Biden had a near-miss when walking up steps to address the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service in front of the Capitol Building Wednesday.

The 81-year-old’s left toe hit the step, leading to a slight stumble, but the president regained his footing, preventing a bigger spill. 

The close call came as the step was marked with yellow and black tape, to show a distinction from the red carpeting on the makeshift stage. 

The president has fallen up Air Force One’s stairs several times – so much that he now predominantly uses a shorter set of stairs – tripped over a sandbag and fell off his bike during a Rehoboth Beach trip in June 2022. 

At the same time, Americans have told pollsters that they worry about Biden’s ability to carry out a second term, as he’s the country’s oldest president in history. 

President Joe Biden, 81, had a near miss Wednesday catching his left toe on a step as he was about to speak at the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service in front of the U.S. Capitol 

The president regained his footing, preventing himself from yet another embarassing spill. The president has fallen up Air Force One’s steps, fallen off his bike and tripped over a sandbag 

During the president’s brief remarks – dedicated to the families of fallen police officers amid Washington, D.C.’s Police Week – Biden called attention to his own losses – son Beau and his first wife Neilia and daughter Naomi. 

‘I know what it’s like,’ he said. 

‘Only one thing that helped: family,’ he advised. 

He called police officers the ‘steel spine’ of the country. 

‘I’ve unfortunately spoken at too many funerals of too many police officers,’ he also said. 

He pointed to recent visits he had with family members of fallen officers in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

‘Everytime you put on that shield your family wonders if that call will come,’ he said. ‘We owe you as a nation.’