Jill Biden assists Joe off the stage after Trump showdown

The First Lady helped the President off the debate stage, raising questions about his fitness.

First Lady Jill Biden assisted her husband, President Joe Biden, off the debate stage Thursday night after a performance that raised further questions about the President’s fitness for office.

CNN’s cameras captured the 81-year-old president being guided by his wife as she took his hand and slowly led him down the stage’s three steps following his debate with former President Donald Trump.

“Who is the Commander in Chief?” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) wrote on X, sharing a close-up view of Jill Biden’s assist, in which the president appeared to walk cautiously down the short stairs.

Who is the Commander in Chief? https://t.co/zg7JBsf6d9

— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) June 28, 2024

However, some social media users defended Biden, noting his endurance in standing for 90 minutes straight during the debate. “Look, my knees are bone-on-bone at age 60, so I get it,” tweeted Paula Bolyard, a self-identified conservative.

Look, my knees are bone-on-bone at age 60, so I get it. The problem was the previous 90 minutes. https://t.co/mocOOsAYXQ

— Paula Bolyard (@pbolyard) June 28, 2024

Following the debate, the Bidens addressed their supporters in Atlanta at a campaign-organised watch party. Joe Biden appeared more energetic in his post-debate speech than during the debate itself. Critics, however, were puzzled by Biden’s contrasting energy levels. MSNBC host Rachel Maddow remarked that his speech was "a world away from what you just heard on the debate stage" and suggested that the more dynamic Biden would have excelled in the debate.