White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre listened in silence for 90 seconds during a press briefing on Tuesday as a reporter recounted President Joe Biden's concerning physical stumbles.
The reporter first referenced Biden's tumble at the Air Force Academy graduation last week, when he tripped over a sandbag before being helped to his feet by three men. He then recalled footage showing Biden, 80, tripping and nearly falling while descending a set of stairs in Japan last month.
"I watched that scene with my heart in my hands," the reporter said. "That could have been really catastrophic." He then asked Jean-Pierre whether the incidents have led the White House to review its "advance procedures" for the president.
After the reporter finished speaking, Jean-Pierre immediately dismissed his concerns, noting that he's "paid a lot of attention to that particular situation" and touting Biden's "record-historic" legislative accomplishments.
After being pressed by the reporter to respond to the specifics of his question, Jean-Pierre said the White House would not change its procedures in light of Biden's stumbles and that "other presidents have had similar situations." She abruptly left the briefing room after giving her response.
While Jean-Pierre dismissed concerns about Biden's health, polls show Americans are less confident. A Harvard Caps/Harris poll last month found 57 percent of respondents have doubts about the president's mental fitness and 67 percent say he's shown he's too old to be president. Sixty-one percent of respondents said they believe Vice President Kamala Harris would take over for the octogenarian at some point in a potential second term.