Donald Trump faced an uncomfortable and highly publicized moment on Sunday, June 8, when he stumbled while ascending the stairs to board Air Force One. The 78-year-old former president was heading to Camp David for a scheduled meeting with military officials, as immigration raids in Los Angeles sparked widespread protests.
While Trump floated the idea of invoking the Insurrection Act to quell the unrest, he ultimately said the situation hadn’t escalated to that point—though he did order National Guard troops to be deployed in LA. The move drew sharp criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who warned it could inflame tensions further.
But it was Trump’s misstep—not his military maneuvers—that lit up social media. The brief stumble quickly went viral, with critics and commentators drawing instant comparisons to similar moments involving President Joe Biden. Trump, who had once mocked Biden for tripping over a sandbag and stumbling on the steps of Air Force One, now found himself on the receiving end of the same ridicule.
Online, many saw the incident as poetic justice. “Karma,” one user quipped, while others pointed to the irony of Trump falling into the very narrative he’d used to attack his political rival.
