President Joe Biden appeared to freeze on Sunday while giving comments after Congress passed a funding bill to temporarily avert a government shutdown.
"I hope this experience for the speaker has been one of a personal revelation. I'm not being facetious," Biden said before trailing off, muttering "I, uh, um" and going silent. He eventually said "anyway" and a reporter stepped in to ask a question.
Biden signed the last-minute funding bill late Saturday night, after the Senate passed the bill just hours before a shutdown would have entered effect. The president's official page on X, formerly Twitter, shared a photo showing him signing the legislation after 11 p.m.
Axios reported last week that aides in the White House are working to prevent Biden from suffering any physical stumbles that could imperil Americans' confidence in his health.
"Democrats, including some in the administration, are terrified Biden will have a bad fall—with a nightmare scenario of it happening in the weeks before the 2024 election," according to Axios. "Biden's team is betting that any mockery he receives over using the shorter Air Force One steps and wearing tennis shoes will be worth it to avoid another public stumble."