By Michael Lee Fox News
Published March 17, 2024 12:04pm EDT
President Biden's newest shoes have opened up renewed debate about his health and physical condition, with some speculating they were designed to prevent the president from falling.
"Biden's handlers are forcing him to wear a new pair of 'lifestyle sneakers' because he trips so much," reads a tweet from RNC Research on Saturday, referring to Biden's new shoes.
Observers have likened the shoes to "boat anchors" and "piers," but the "Inside Edition" report attached to the tweet revealed that the president's new shoes are actually "lifestyle sneakers" that are made by the shoe brand Hoka.
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This view shows President Biden's shoe during a meeting at the White House on March 5, 2024. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
The "Inside Edition" report notes that the shoes are "designed for maximum comfort and support while walking or hiking."
Biden's specific shoe is called the "Hoka Transport," the report said, a shoe that has a "wide sole" that is "no doubt great for stability."
The report notes that the president "does have a history of stumbling" but that the shoe is "quite comfortable" and feels like "walking on air."
"The shoe bears the seal of approval from the American Podiatric Association for being beneficial to foot health," the report said, noting Biden's physical last month revealed that the president suffers from sensory peripheral neuropathy in his feet.
President Biden walks on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One on March 13, 2024. (Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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"Peripheral neuropathy refers to damage to nerves," said Dr. Gabrelle Laurenti, a podiatrist interviewed for the report. “Whether it's from trauma or a disease, there's some kind of damage to nerves.”
Biden has had multiple public stumbles, falls and near misses as president, the most recent example coming while he climbed the stairs to board Air Force One last month. In that incident, the president was able to catch himself on the handrail before continuing his climb.
That stumble came after a number of near misses on Air Force One stairs in 2021 prompted the White House team to employ shorter stairs that would allow the president to climb them more easily, and a New York Times report from February noted that the Secret Service now positions an agent at the bottom of the stairs when Biden disembarks the plane.
President Biden walks on the South Lawn of the White House on March 8, 2024. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
Biden has also taken falls when not climbing stairs, including an infamous trip while onstage during the 2023 Air Force Academy commencement.
The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Source: Fox News