President Joe Biden, who is 81 years old and diagnosed with sensory peripheral neuropathy in his feet, has been spotted wearing special sneakers to assist him with stability when walking, according to a report.
Inside Edition ran a segment on February 29 on how the octogenarian has been seen recently wearing sneakers with “a wide sole that is no doubt great for stability.”
“And the president does have a history of stumbling,” Inside Edition‘s Les Trent said.
Trent tried on the shoe at a store, and asked an employee, “Why might a shoe like this be good for the president or someone elderly?”
The employee responded, “Yeah, well, it’s going to be really supportive. This outsole traction here is going to be how you really stick to the ground when you’re walking.”
Biden's handlers are forcing him to wear a new pair of "lifestyle sneakers" because he trips so much pic.twitter.com/dNXwsDHCCQ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 17, 2024
The shoe was identified by Inside Edition as Hoka’s Transport shoe in all black. The shoes also have a “quick-toggle lace” for “easy on and off,” according to the product description.
A White House spokesperson claimed the shoes were for exercising.
“I know y’all aren’t partial to presidents who exercise, but don’t worry — you’ll get used to it,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told Fox News Digital.
However, Biden was shown in Inside Edition‘s report wearing the shoes with a suit jacket and pants, not exercise wear.
The apparent change in footwear is occurring as Biden — the oldest president in U.S. history — is gearing up to run for another term amid questions about his age.
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U.S. House of RepresentativesBiden’s age was recently the topic of a spate of reports after Special Counsel Robert Hur described him as an “elderly man with a poor memory,” angering Democrats.
While the White House and Democrats have dismissed questions about his age, the White House in recent months has taken a number of measures aimed at avoiding falls.
After repeatedly stumbling while walking up and down the steps of Air Force One, Biden now uses shorter retractable stairs at the back of the plane for boarding.
President Joe Biden boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on August 18, 2023, as he departs for Lake Tahoe, Nevada. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Last June, he took an embarrassing dive onstage at the Air Force Academy commencement, when he tripped on a sandbag and appeared to nearly do a face plant.
The Republican National Committee’s research arm posted on X, “Biden’s handlers are forcing him to wear a new pair of ‘lifestyle sneakers’ because he trips so much.”
The New York Post noted that observers have likened the shoes to “boat anchors” and “piers.”
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The shoe has a seal of approval from the American Podiatric Association for being beneficial to foot health, according to Hoka.
“Peripheral neuropathy refers to damage to nerves,” Dr. Gabrelle Laurenti, a podiatrist, told Inside Edition. “Whether it’s from trauma or a disease, there’s some kind of damage to nerves.”
The report showed a split screen of Biden and former President Donald Trump — who is wearing dress shoes and walking briskly — during dueling trips to Texas.
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