Snopes Fact Check Rates Biden Fall on Stairs to Air Force One as ‘True,’ Adds That He Was ‘Not the First President to Take Such a Spill’

As we reported earlier, President Biden tripped and fell multiple times trying to ascend the stairs to Air Force One today.

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre appeared to blame the wind for Biden’s fall, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that “It’s pretty windy outside. It’s very windy. I almost fell coming up the steps myself. He is doing 100 percent.”

U.S. House Rep Jim Jordan commented on the situation and how he believes the media is downplaying the incident compared to one last year involving then President Trump.

“President Trump takes a sip of water. The media: ‘He had a stroke!’ President Biden falls going up the stairs. The media: ‘Happens to everyone,'” Jordan lamented in a tweet.

President Trump takes a sip of water. The media: “He had a stroke!”

President Biden falls going up the stairs. The media: “Happens to everyone.”

— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) March 19, 2021

Snopes fact checked the incident earlier, asking, “Did Biden Fall on Stairs to Air Force One?” Prior to even rating it true or false, the publication added that “He was not the first president to take such a spill.”

Ultimately, they did rate it as true, while sharing a video of the incident that was shared in a tweet by the Daily Caller and said, “This is a genuine video of Biden falling on the stairs of Air Force One.” 

They then noted that both former presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan also had similar mishaps, although Ford’s slip appeared to have happened on a rainy day and Reagan slipped in Seattle, Washington, a notoriously rainy city.

Left-wing actor George Takei attempted to downplay the incident in a tweet as well while invoking Trump and said, “Joe Biden tripped going up the stairs to Air Force One. But let’s talk about all the awful things that he didn’t do while president. Biden didn’t call officials in GA to try to get them to find votes and change the results of a free and fair election. What else? Impress me.”

Joe Biden tripped going up the stairs to Air Force One. But let’s talk about all the awful things that he didn’t do while president.

Biden didn’t call officials in GA to try to get them to find votes and change the results of a free and fair election.

What else? Impress me.

— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) March 19, 2021