Donald Trump, 79, Reveals Why He's Cautious About Stepping Off Air Force One as Health Rumors Swirl

As rumors of his failing health continue to run rampant, President Donald Trump explained that his cautious, slow pace when exiting Air Force One is a deliberate effort to avoid tripping or falling, noting that any such incident would become a major media story.

He has stated he is "not looking to set any speed records" and prefers to walk "nice and easy.”

Trump indicated he is aware that a fall would be heavily reported, telling "The Dan Bongino Show" he has to "be careful" because if he trips, "it's got to be the biggest" story.

He has told officials he walks slowly on stairs to avoid injury, specifically saying, "Just try not to fall because it doesn't work out well.”

The 79-year-old has been described as frequently holding the handrail securely and appearing to take "timid steps" while descending the stairs in late 2025 and early 2026, often in contrast to his previous, faster pace.

Trump has sometimes referenced former President Joe Biden’s past, 2021, misstep on the stairs as a reason to be careful himself.

“Our country was laughed at, disrespected. Our president was disrespected,” Trump said on Monday, May 11.

“He couldn’t walk without falling down the d--- stairs,” Trump said about the former president, who was 78 when he tripped and fell three times while walking up the stairs of Air Force One in March 2021.

Despite Trump harping on Biden’s literal misstep, he admitted he didn’t find it funny.

“Some people thought it was funny,” Trump said of Biden’s fall. “I didn’t like it. I didn’t like watching it. (He) should have never been there.”

Trump then attempted to explain his own issues, saying, “I’m very careful when I walk, by the way, because if I ever fall... the fake news ... they’re going to have... that headline will go on for years.”

“You know, sometimes, like I walk out of the plane... I’m not looking to set any records. You go nice and easy,” he explained.

“I gotta be very careful going in,” Trump, who was filmed stumbling on the stairs of AF1 in June 2025, said of his own entry to Air Force One. “Ever noticed how slowly I am these days? Nice and slowly, I’m not looking to set any records. You don’t wanna go down. Could happen, could happen.”

Reports have noted that this cautious behavior follows questions about his health, with him using the plane's rear, shorter stairs, which are more compact and provide easier access.

Videos showing the almost 80-year-old POTUS walking in a “zigzag” pattern or navigating stairs carefully have sparked renewed online speculation and commentary regarding potential mobility issues, with some users suggesting dementia.

Experts, including some clinicians, have noted potential changes in his gait — sometimes described as wide-based or asymmetrical— but there is no official, public medical diagnosis confirming cognitive decline.