Joe Biden sparks safety questions after last year's Christmas tree photo resurfaces

A photo of President Joe Biden taken last Christmas has sparked a wave of questions from commentators after it resurfaced online.

The snap depicts the President and his wife Dr. Jill Biden as they decorate a Christmas tree inside what is believed to be their private apartment at the White House.

The Bidens originally shared the picture on December 22, 2022 with the caption: "Just a few finishing touches! Hope you and your loved ones are having a great Christmas Eve."

However, the mundane photo – re-posted by Democratic commentator Victor Shi – had many questions whether it was safe for Biden to use a ladder considering his age.

One social media user commented: "He can barely walk, and he shuffles his feet. There’s no way he’s climbing a ladder……."

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Another commented: "Who's bright idea was it to put Joe on a ladder?"

George Conway, an anti-Trump Republican whose wife Kellyanne rose to fame as an outspoken Trump supporter, wrote: "I love this but he's not the candidate I want to see on a stepladder."

Biden, who turned 81 last month, is the older American President in history and has a checkered past with steps and stairs, having repeatedly been seen falling or stumbling on official outings.

His age has been a frequent point of debate, with bipartisan political commentators challenging his suitability to run and potentially serve a second term in the Oval Office.

Other than a stutter he has struggled with since childhood, Biden is not known to suffer from any additional ailments.

The President's physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, said in February that Biden "remains a healthy, vigorous, 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the [duties] of the Presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief."

And despite the multiple attacks he leveled at his successor, Trump defended Biden's age and insisted that serving the country "is not an age thing."

But even one of Barack Obama's former chief advisors, with whom Biden repeatedly locked horns while they served the ex-president, suggested the Delaware Democrat should reconsider running next year.

David Axelrod argued that Biden's running could be a major "miscalculation" and leave the Democrats struggling to win.

He said: "I think he has a 50-50 shot here, but no better than that, maybe a little worse.

"He thinks he can cheat nature here and it's really risky. They've got a real problem if they're counting on Trump to win it for them. I remember Hillary doing that, too."

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