Donald Trump’s cautious moves on the steps of Air Force One in South Korea have drawn attention—and raised questions about the 79-year-old president’s health.
As he stepped off the plane in Busan on Wednesday, Trump gripped the railing tightly, moving deliberately and with his eyes fixed downward. Dignitaries awaited him on a red carpet, but the spotlight was on the president’s careful descent.
This is not a one-off. Trump has previously admitted he takes special care on stairs. “I’m very careful. You know, when I walk downstairs—like I’m on stairs like these stairs—I walk very slowly,“ he told military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico.
“Nobody has to set a record. Just try not to fall because it doesn’t work out well… Just walk nice and easy. You don’t have to set any record,” he added.
Trump’s stair caution comes as his health has once again become a topic of discussion. Earlier this month, he revealed he had undergone an MRI scan, though he did not explain why. “I got an MRI,” Trump told reporters. “It was perfect.”
“I gave you the full results. We had an MRI, and the machine, you know, the whole thing, it was perfect,” he added.
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, cardiologist to former Vice President Dick Cheney, said the scan could have been prompted by neurological symptoms, back pain, or heart concerns. “Typically, they’re prompted by symptoms,” Reiner said. “They can be neurologic symptoms that prompt an MRI. They could be back pain that prompts an MRI. There can be issues with the heart that would prompt an MRI.”
Reiner emphasized transparency: “The public should really be told, you know, why did the president undergo the test, what consultants he saw, and what was the result of the testing?” He also noted that MRIs are “never part of a routine evaluation, whether you’re president of the United States or whether you’re just a civilian.”
Trump’s careful handling of the Air Force One steps isn’t limited to getting off. He was also extremely cautious while boarding the plane during his departure from Japan to South Korea.
The images of the president clinging to the railing have sparked curiosity—and concern—over how age and health are affecting his movements on the international stage. Watch the clips below:
