President Donald Trump made a rare admission about his physical limitations during a speech to military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, acknowledging that he struggles with descending stairs and must be careful to avoid falling.
The 79-year-old president addressed top military brass who had been summoned to the Quantico base to hear him speak alongside Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth. During his meandering, hour-long speech, Trump took aim at former President Joe Biden’s mobility issues while revealing his own cautious approach to navigating stairs.
Trump mocked Biden’s frequent falls, noting that the 82-year-old former president struggled with stairs so often that he began wearing special shoes for support and using shorter staircases to board Air Force One. However, Trump then admitted his own limitations, stating he walks very slowly on stairs and advised military leaders to be careful when descending steps.
The president’s candid acknowledgment came as part of a broader address that covered topics including lethal strikes in the Caribbean Sea, plans to deploy troops to Democratic cities, and warnings that America faces invasion from within. Trump told the assembled generals and admirals that “Nobody has to set a record” when walking down stairs, emphasizing the importance of not falling.
The admission sparked renewed scrutiny of Trump’s health status, as the president has recently been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition affecting blood flow from leg veins back to the heart. This condition causes symptoms, including swelling ankles, which became apparent in viral photographs of the president. The White House announced the diagnosis after images of Trump’s swollen ankles circulated widely on social media.
Additionally, Trump has been photographed with unusual bruising on his hands, which appears to be poorly concealed with makeup. White House officials dismissed these visible bruises as resulting from the president’s extensive handshaking duties, treated with aspirin therapy.
The president’s comments about stair navigation drew immediate criticism and fueled speculation about his fitness for office. Social media users shared clips of Trump’s remarks, with some comparing his speech patterns to symptoms of cognitive decline. One social media user described Trump’s speech as taking more detours than a lost driver, while others noted slurred speech and difficulty pronouncing words during the address.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded to Trump’s Quantico speech by calling for the president’s removal from office, citing health concerns. Pritzker expressed concern about Trump’s mental state, particularly his suggestions about using Chicago as training grounds for military operations. The governor indicated that Trump appeared to have dementia and was copying tactics used by Vladimir Putin.
During the speech, Trump also made controversial statements about deploying National Guard troops to Democratic-run cities across the country. He told military leaders that America was under invasion from within, doubling down on campaign promises to use military force in domestic situations. These comments contributed to concerns about his mental fitness and understanding of constitutional limitations on military deployment.
Trump’s mobility issues contrast with his previous criticism of Biden’s physical struggles. The president had regularly mocked Biden’s stumbles and falls during the 2024 campaign season, using them as evidence of his opponent’s unfitness for office. However, Trump has also experienced his own mobility challenges, including a July incident where he was filmed losing his balance before steadying himself while boarding his aircraft after a golfing weekend in New Jersey.
The president advised military leaders to remain composed when navigating stairs, telling them to be cool but not to bound down steps carelessly. He contrasted his approach with that of former President Barack Obama, whom he described as someone who moved quickly down stairs but whom he still considered a poor president.
This latest health-related revelation adds to ongoing questions about Trump’s physical and mental capacity to serve as commander-in-chief. The combination of his chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis, visible hand bruising, and now-admitted mobility limitations has intensified calls for greater transparency about the president’s health status.
The Quantico speech represented one of Trump’s most candid admissions about his physical limitations since taking office, marking a rare moment of vulnerability from a president who typically projects strength and vigor in public appearances.
