Whether on strict ICE crackdowns or Venezuela, Donald Trump has exuded confidence about his health. Despite chatter about visible signs of decline, the 79-year-old recently revealed that he was taking a high dose of aspirin to maintain “nice, thin blood” through his heart. While health experts raised alarms, Trump admitted that heavy medication likely causes the frequent bruises on his hand.
Now, just days after this fiery response, the U.S. president was spotted appearing a little tired and weakened while alighting the stairs of Air Force One. He had returned from a Mar-a-Lago stop and proceeded to board Marine One for his onward journey.
Onlookers could not help but notice what they described as telltale signs of a dip in his health. Trump has previously acknowledged consulting doctors for a range of issues he has been dealing with for some time.
One of his known ailments, chronic venous insufficiency, has made it difficult for him to perform simple tasks such as climbing stairs. Viewers caught a glimpse of this as he stepped out of Air Force One and appeared to rush to grab the handrails.
This video is going viral showing Trump needing to concentrate with all his brain power to walk down a flight of stairs.
Donald ‘Krasnov’ Trump, here’s your best friend, Barack Obama, making his way down the Air Force One stairs. pic.twitter.com/jCQXKesqz8
— WEB3 (@WEB3WORLDWAR) December 22, 2025
He then lets his legs drop abruptly as he gradually descends the first flight of stairs. Keeping his eyes focused on the red carpet with which the stairs are inlaid, Trump again reaches for the handrails as he begins descending the second set of stairs.
This time, the U.S. president’s gait becomes slower than before. As Trump finally steps out onto the tarmac, he is seen taking a brief pause while saluting the guards and waving at the press. He then proceeds to board Marine One, stopping multiple times along the way as he chats with people around him.
The short distance appears to take longer than expected, as the 79-year-old appears to drag his right leg. The sequence ends when Trump descends a short flight of stairs from the helicopter, bringing him back to the White House.
This is not the first time the U.S. president has been seen moving cautiously with each step while walking or using stairs. His acknowledged diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency reduces blood flow from the heart to the legs, which may be a contributing factor to his manner of walking.
Donald Trump’s cognitive decline & other health issues are on display every day. Chronic venous insufficiency is obvious & worrisome. His ankles are swollen, he moves slowly, and is very good about holding on to handrails while on escalators or stairs. He’s aware of the problems.
— Notwo (@stac60974) January 3, 2026
There have been multiple instances in which Donald Trump was seen struggling to walk in a straight line despite taking smaller steps. In one video around Christmas, the president was seen slapping his right leg three times with his right hand while standing in the aircraft doorway.
He then gingerly began descending the stairs. Beyond aircraft stairways, Trump has also been seen moving cautiously on the stairs at his Mar-A-Lago estate, including during a visit in which he welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Such repeated episodes involving President Trump and staircases have continued to spark concern about his health. Notably, the 79-year-old previously discussed his own approach to navigating stairs while mocking former President Joe Biden for stumbling on them multiple times.
Addressing military generals at the time, Trump said, “Every day, the guy’s falling down stairs. I’m very careful. You know, when I walk downstairs—like I’m on stairs, like these stairs—I walk very slowly. 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.”
