President Joe Biden falls on stage during the 2023 United States Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony at Falcon Stadium. Photo / AP
President Joe Biden falls on stage during the 2023 United States Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony at Falcon Stadium. Photo / AP
Crowds gasped as US President Joe Biden took a tumble and fell on stage while handing out the last diploma at a graduation ceremony at the US Air Force Academy on Thursday.
The 80-year-old went to walk across the stage and ended up on the floor after falling on his hip and legs.
Biden was then quickly helped back up on his feet by three people before dusting himself off and eventually walking to his seat unassisted.
As the president was helped up, he was seen pointing behind him, seeming to indicate that he tripped over something on the stage.
The crowds cheers, who were celebrating the graduation of an academy member, quickly turned to gasps during the incident, but they then continued to cheer when Biden made it back up to his feet.
White House communications director Ben LaBolt said on Twitter that Biden was fine. “There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands,” he explained.
President Joe Biden falls on stage during the 2023 United States Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony at Falcon Stadium. Photo / AP
During his speech, the president talked about how the US had rallied Western nations to stand behind Ukraine against Russia and efforts to enhance deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region.
He also expressed confidence that Sweden will become a Nato member.
Sweden and Finland, both historically unaligned militarily, sought Nato membership after being rattled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But Turkey, a Nato member, blocked both countries from joining the military alliance before agreeing to membership for Finland while continuing to object to Sweden.
But Biden said Sweden’s Nato membership “will happen. I promise you.”
The academy graduates will become second lieutenants in either the Air Force or Space Force. Biden said they made up the most diverse graduating class in the academy’s history and he called on them to “root out the scourge of sexual assault and harassment in the military”.
Biden also said they will need the qualities of resilience, creativity, endurance and commitment that they learned during four years of training at the academy - learning that was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic - to deal with a range of global challenges. He said the challenges ranged from Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and America’s rivalry with China “to a whole hell of a lot in between”.
President Joe Biden arrives at the 2023 United States Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony. Photo / AP
He also cited the threat of climate change and the growing use of artificial intelligence.
“Never forget the sacred oath you swear, and the mission you serve is something far, far greater than any person or president,” Biden said. “It’s our Constitution, it’s our country and it’s our enduring American values.”
After speaking, Biden participated in the presentation of diplomas, exchanging salutes and handshakes with each graduate as they were called to the stage and their loved ones cheered from the stands.
The ceremony was capped by an aerial salute to the graduates by the world-renowned US Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying over Falcon Stadium. Biden met with some of the pilots Wednesday after he arrived at Peterson Space Force Base.
