Even Presidents Trip: Trump’s Air Force One Stumble Feels Awfully Familiar

Look, we’ve all been there—misjudging a step and nearly eating it on a staircase. It’s the kind of thing that makes you glad nobody was watching. Except, when you’re the president, everybody’s watching.

Joe Biden learned that the hard way during his time in office, when his occasional stumbles, like that infamous sandbag trip at the Air Force Academy’s 2023 graduation, turned into a full-blown narrative about his health.

Those moments hit hard enough that they played a part in his choice to step back from the 2024 race and hand things over to Kamala Harris. His team even switched to a shorter set of Air Force One stairs to dodge more viral slip-ups.

Spoiler alert: those stairs are still out to get people, no matter who’s climbing them.

Caught in the Act

On Sunday evening, June 8, 2025, it was President Donald Trump’s turn to tangle with the Air Force One steps. TMZ caught it all on video and shared it on Instagram: Trump, looking sharp in a dark suit, was making his way up, one hand gripping the railing. Then, whoops—his foot caught a step, and he lurched forward. Quick on his feet, he grabbed the railing with his other hand, steadied himself, and kept going like a champ.

But the internet doesn’t miss a thing. That slow-motion replay? Pure catnip for social media, sparking a flood of reactions that ranged from “ha, gotcha!” to “been there, buddy.”

The Internet’s Got Jokes

Social media lit up like a Christmas tree. Some folks couldn’t resist the irony, especially since Trump had poked fun at Biden’s stumbles before. “Biden’s probably cackling right now,” one user wrote with a grin. Another called it Trump’s “Biden moment,” and the word “karma” got tossed around like confetti—one commenter even said, “What goes around comes around 😂.” It felt like the universe was serving up a little poetic justice.

Not everyone was here for the shade, though. Plenty of people jumped in to keep it real. “Come on, who hasn’t tripped on stairs?” one person posted, sounding mildly annoyed. Another chimed in, “I’m clumsy as heck and trip all the time. Big whoop.” Someone else just shrugged and said, “It’s stairs. They’re tricky. Let it go.” For them, it was a non-event—just a human moment, not a headline.

Déjà Vu with Biden

The whole thing brought back memories of Biden’s own Air Force One stumbles. Back in 2024, the then-82-year-old was caught on camera tripping twice while boarding. Rocking his classic aviators and a big smile, he saluted the military folks on the tarmac before tackling the shorter stairs. His feet fumbled, but he caught himself and made it to the top just fine. Still, those clips spread faster than gossip, fueling all kinds of chatter about his age and energy.

Why We Can’t Look Away

In today’s world, where every moment is caught on camera and dissected online, a simple trip can turn into a whole saga. For Biden and Trump alike, these stumbles aren’t just about losing your footing—they’re instant fodder for memes, hot takes, and political point-scoring. One wrong step on those Air Force One stairs can spark a thousand tweets, whether it’s a jab, a defense, or just a good laugh.

But at the end of the day, these moments remind us that presidents are people, too. Biden’s sandbag fumble, Trump’s quick recovery—they’re just folks navigating tricky steps, same as the rest of us. Sure, the stakes are higher when the world’s watching, but it’s kind of comforting to know that even the most powerful people can’t always outsmart a staircase. Makes you feel a little better about that time you tripped in front of your coworkers, right?