Newly obtained emails show the Biden White House canceled a planned visit to a National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) in July 2023 because it involved “too many steps” for then-President Joe Biden to climb.
The records, obtained through a FOIA request by Protect the Public’s Trust and reviewed by Fox News Digital, reveal that the vessel was docked at a Philadelphia shipyard Biden visited to promote offshore wind and clean energy jobs.
“Lots of Steps on Grating”
On July 17, 2023, a Maritime Administration (MARAD) official emailed the Office of Secure Transportation, with the Department of Transportation (DOT) copied, writing:“No visit to the NSMV vessel is planned after the WH realized how many steps were involved to get on the ship. {True – lots of steps on grating}.”
The next day, DOT officials noted MARAD hadn’t heard directly from the White House about the change — instead getting information from the Philadelphia shipyard itself.
Timing Raises Questions on Biden’s Fitness
The decision came just over a month after Biden stumbled and fell at the Air Force Academy graduation ceremony in Colorado Springs, prompting renewed questions about his health and physical fitness. The White House at the time insisted Biden was fine and fully capable of performing his duties.
One week after the Philadelphia event, then–White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre brushed off concerns about Biden’s age, pointing to his legislative “accomplishments” and agenda items like the Cancer Moonshot.
Watchdog: “Amateurish and Concerning”
Protect the Public’s Trust Director Michael Chamberlain criticized the episode, calling it “amateurish” that the White House planned a major shipyard visit without properly coordinating with DOT.
He also warned that Biden’s staff appeared to be avoiding events he couldn’t “physically handle” more than a year before he abandoned his re-election bid.“Most voters would like to think they’re pulling the lever for a president who could take the stairs in an emergency,” Chamberlain said.
Biden Allies Push Back
A former Biden aide dismissed the story as “deceptive,” claiming the group was focusing on the number of steps Biden could take instead of other political issues.
Another former administration official said shipyard size and security logistics are always considered when planning events, and that the email referenced “steps,” not necessarily “stairs.”
