President Donald Trump Sparks Concern Over His Walk on the Red Carpet Ahead of Recent Summit
Having been questioned about his gait and a previous trip, Donald Trump is no used to being watched closely.
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2015. Spectators focused on his gait as he walked down the red carpet to meet Putin, generating a flurry of remarks regarding his movement.
Trump and Putin can be seen walking down the stairs from their separate planes in a side-by-side video. Trump lands on the ground first, while Putin remains on the steps. Trump seems to change his gait from a straight line to a zigzag once he’s on the red carpet.
Online people were alarmed by this shift and swiftly expressed their opinions. One spectator exclaimed, “Oh man – that walk!” as he was unable to see past his stride. “Why can’t he walk straight?!” asked another individual directly.
Another person offered a more thorough view, saying, “It’s really odd that Donald Trump can’t walk straight. He was obviously having trouble walking, swaying back and forth as though his balance were wrong.
“Can any doctors tell me?” was a request for information that evolved from curiosity. Why is it that Trump finds it difficult to walk straight?
One netizen said, “Slow the video down to.25x,” when others looked more closely. His swerving gait is evident. He also loses his balance much more when he stares down at the carpet. Trump is ill.
However, not everyone considered it a health problem. According to one opinion, “President Trump is walking like that to throw off potential snipers.”
Another person went into great detail about that concept, saying, “SURVIVAL: Trump was shot by an assassin just last year and just avoided a second attempt on his life two months later. The most effective approach to thwart an assassin’s bullet is to use a zigzag pattern.
“Likely targets of long range snipers are often directed to walk in a zigzag pattern to decrease the effectiveness of future attacks,” was the last, more calculated answer.
The White House said in July that Trump had recently been checked for leg edema and was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, despite the fact that many people were speculating about his gait.
The White House Medical Unit performed a “comprehensive examination, including diagnostic vascular studies” on the 79-year-old, according to press secretary Karoline Leavitt. She read from a note written by Dr. Sean Barbabella, the president’s doctor.
According to the letter, which was eventually made public, “bilateral lower extremity venous Doppler ultrasounds were performed and revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.” Trump’s recent reports of slight edema in his lower legs triggered the evaluation.
According to the doctor’s report, there was no indication of artery disease, deep vein thrombosis, or other irregularities in the test results.
Additionally, an echocardiography revealed no indications of kidney problems, heart failure, or any other systemic ailment.
Blood can accumulate due to malfunctioning vein valves, which results in chronic venous insufficiency. The illness affects about 150,000 people annually, and the risk rises with age.
Leg or ankle edema, varicose veins, cramps, skin changes, or discomfort are all possible outcomes of the disorder. Medication is one kind of treatment; in more severe situations, medical treatments may be necessary.
The diagnosis, according to Harvard Medical School assistant professor of emergency medicine Dr. Jeremy Faust, is “basically not alarming information, and it’s not surprising.”
Faust went on to say that it is a typical aspect of aging, particularly for people who are overweight or obese. He did, however, point out that these symptoms should always be assessed in order to rule out more serious diseases, as was done in the case of Donald Trump.
Additionally, chronic venous insufficiency might occasionally be linked to underlying conditions like sleep apnea or high heart pressure, according to cardiologist Dr. Bernard Ashby.
He underlined that although the ailment is frequently seen as benign, what counts most is identifying its source, which may be connected to lung or heart problems.
He also stated that Trump’s medical staff was “covering all their bases” by examining him for heart failure and other associated issues. According to experts, the illness is also influenced by lifestyle choices, weight, and age.
Chronic venous insufficiency is more common in elderly folks, overweight people, and those who do not routinely exercise, according to Dr. Chris Pernell. The illness can also be exacerbated by prolonged standing or sitting.
Pernell further noted that although the illness is not fatal, it can be incapacitating. Although the president was diagnosed, press secretary Leavitt stressed that he was feeling “no discomfort.”
Trump’s walking has garnered attention before, as evidenced by the most recent sighting. He stumbled on the stairs of Air Force One on Sunday, June 8, 2025, as he was boarding the plane for a vacation to Camp David. The incident was caught on camera, and TMZ posted the footage to Instagram.
The video began with Trump, wearing a dark suit, climbing the stairs to the plane while holding onto the railing with his right hand. He stumbled forward as his foot caught on one of the steps while he was climbing.
Braced against a higher step, he reached out with his other hand involuntarily to stabilize himself before regaining his equilibrium. He straightened up and climbed on toward the aircraft cabin without stopping for long.
The moment was shown in slow motion on the video, emphasizing how abrupt the trip was and how quickly Trump tried to get better.
His momentary mishap created instant online interest, with viewers pouring their opinions onto social media comment areas, some with sardonic humor and others with scathing sarcasm. Jokes about poetic retribution were stoked by the obvious resemblance between Trump’s error and former US President Joe Biden’s previous gaffe.
I heard someone say, “Biden has a last laugh.” Someone else said, “That’s his Joe Biden moment.” Some responses tended toward the notion of fate.
One netizen said, “That’s called Karma Baby..” Another shared schadenfreude by commenting, “How the tables have turned 😂😂.” Something along those lines was written: “That’s what happens when you laugh at others.” But not everyone who watched found it funny.
“Apparently everyone making comments has never tripped walking up stairs,” said a more tolerant voice. I assure you that one day you will, so don’t worry if you haven’t. “Oh please [sic] are you serious?” asked a spectator. Have you never skipped a step before????”
Others minimized the event completely, implying that stumbling is a frequent and innocuous accident. One person only mentioned that they are “kinda clumsy” and trip frequently as well.
It was inevitable that Trump’s gaffe would bring up memories of a similar incident involving his predecessor, Joe Biden, whose own rise to Air Force One garnered a lot of attention in February 2024.
Joe Biden was seen smiling broadly at the crowd gathering near the jet as he approached it wearing his trademark aviator sunglasses in the video, which the New York Post posted to YouTube.
He saluted the military men at the base of the stairs and started up, clinging to one of the railings for balance.
The former commander-in-chief stumbled twice, even though the shorter stairs seemed easier. He ascended the first few steps without any issues, but he soon recovered and went on after one foot momentarily snagged on a step.
His other foot stuck on another step in a similar manner to the first a few moments later. Luckily, he was able to stay balanced each time and reach the top of the stairs without falling all the way down. After that, he boarded the aircraft on its way from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland to Los Angeles.
Despite the fact that neither Biden nor Trump’s gaffes were very severe, their symbolic significance persisted in having an impact on politics. The slightest error can spark arguments, provoke comparisons, or even provoke mockery in the digital era, where moments are recorded, relived, and analyzed in a matter of seconds.
These occurrences serve as a reminder that public individuals, including those in the highest office, are subject to both political and physical gravity, regardless of whether they are seen as human moments or as material for partisan commentary.
