US President Donald Trump tripped while climbing the stairs of Air Force One on Sunday (June 8) as he prepared to leave Morristown Municipal Airport in New Jersey for Camp David. Though he quickly regained his balance, the brief misstep was caught on camera and has since gone viral, fueling widespread reactions across social media platforms.
Adding to the moment, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also appeared to stumble while boarding the aircraft, prompting more online commentary.
Despite the minor incident, Trump recovered smoothly. However, the video clip—showing what some users dubbed a near “face-planting fall”—was enough to trigger a wave of memes and comparisons, particularly to a similar moment involving former President Joe Biden.
Watch the video here:
Time to get Old Man Trump fitted for a wheelchair. https://t.co/dY3U4RKlsY
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) June 8, 2025
Social Media Bursts into Political Commentary
Online users wasted no time reacting to Trump’s stumble. One user on X remarked, “Had this been Biden, there would be Breaking News all over tv media networks rn,” highlighting the perceived media bias. Another wrote, “The media won’t say a thing about his mental acuity.”
Mocking political commentary also followed. One user sarcastically posted, “Donald Trump can’t walk up a flight of stairs, he’s unfit to be President. …am I doing it right?”
Another comparison read, “Trump stumbles while boarding Air Force One. Joe Biden vibes or maybe characteristics of body double,” while someone else commented on the double standards in media coverage, “When Biden did this it was wall to wall coverage for days on right wing media and set a narrative. What do you want to bet it won’t be mentioned now that Trump has done the same. Human beings trip imagine that.”
Trump Faces Heat Amid Los Angeles Immigration Protests
As the stair stumble drew laughs online, President Trump also faced growing criticism over his response to the immigration enforcement protests in Los Angeles. Clashes between demonstrators and police have intensified over recent federal immigration raids, resulting in multiple confrontations.
Authorities declared several rallies “unlawful assemblies” after protesters reportedly hurled concrete, bottles, and other objects at law enforcement.
In a separate incident, several Waymo self-driving cars, owned by Alphabet, were set on fire on a downtown LA street Sunday evening, escalating tensions further.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed in a post, “Arrests are being initiated,” as the protests entered a volatile stage.
Trump’s Public Image Under Scrutiny Again
The juxtaposition of the viral stair video and the unrest in Los Angeles underscores a politically tense environment for President Trump. The lighthearted stumble may have amused the internet, but it arrives at a time when the administration is under serious pressure over immigration policy and civil unrest.
