President Biden fell unexpectedly Thursday during the commencement ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
The White House said Thursday that the president tripped over a sandbag.
The president, the first octogenarian in the US Presidency, moved Thursday from Washington DC to Falcon Stadium in Colorado for the graduation ceremony.
After giving a speech and handing the last diploma to the cadets, he turned around to sit down, but apparently tripped over a sack and fell to his knees and collapsed to the side.
The president, who was wearing a cap, then tried to sit up on his own, but had to be helped by an officer and two members of the U.S. Secret Service.
At the moment it is unknown if the fall has caused any injury to the US president, although after standing up and pointing out the supposed sack with which he tripped, he remained a few minutes standing until the ceremony ended.
Biden's fall Thursday comes about two years after he fell on the steps while boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews.
After the March 2021 crash in which Biden was filmed tripping over several steps, the White House said he was "100% fine" and blamed the stumble on gusty winds.
Biden's fall Thursday comes about two years after he fell on the steps while boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews. AP Photo
"It's very windy outside, it's very windy. I almost fell up the stairs. It's 100 percent fine," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.
"Nothing more than a misstep on the stairs," added former White House communications director Kate Bedingfield.