Hoaxes that question Joe Biden’s health

In recent days, many hoaxes have spread that cast doubt on Joe Biden’s health condition and his ability to assume the position of President of the United States. This misleading information has been spreading for years, focusing on Biden’s age (81 years old) and the president’s alleged mental illnesses, but without providing evidence of this.

As the US presidential election approaches, in which Biden is running for re-election against Donald Trump, this content is being circulated more frequently. For example, videos in which the president tries to sit in a “non-existent” chair or images of him supposedly walking “disoriented” at an official event were in fact doctored or taken out of context.

At Newtral.es, we’ve compiled some of the most viral hoaxes shared to cast doubt on Joe Biden’s health.

Biden and the “non-existent” chair hoax

A video clip circulated in which the US President appeared trying to find a chair to sit on, but it was supposedly “not there.” The photos spread widely to cast doubt on Biden’s health status ahead of his potential re-election next November, but the claims about the “invisible” chair are nothing but a hoax.

The widely circulated video was cut and the moment in which the president sits in a chair behind him was deleted.

The US President did not walk “confused” at the G7 summit in Italy

A video clip was posted on social media showing the G7 leaders watching the skydiving scene. At some point, Biden turns away from them and begins walking with his back toward the group, supposedly “disoriented,” according to widely circulated messages.

However, the video was cropped, and in the full broadcast you can see how the US President approached to greet one of the paratroopers.

Hoaxes accusing Biden of falling asleep on live TV cast doubt on his health

Social media users shared a video of Biden supposedly falling asleep during a live television interview. In the pictures, the broadcaster can be heard asking him to wake up while the president is snoring, but it is a hoax.

The viral video mixes images from a 2011 interview with singer Harry Belafonte and Biden’s 2020 engagement with former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The President looked down, apparently closing his eyes, but then opened them again. Moreover, no snoring was heard.

On another occasion, a video clip was released that purportedly showed the US President falling asleep during his meeting with then-Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at the White House. However, this is another trick that casts doubt on Biden’s health status.

Full footage of the meeting shows the president moving his arms and talking to Bennett to keep him from falling asleep.

Biden didn’t let Zelensky speak alone, it’s a trick

A video clip spread in which Biden allegedly left Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking alone in the East Room of the White House during a conference between the two. Zelensky appeared in the photos thanking the military aid sent by the United States while the American President left the room and left him alone on the podium, but it is a trick.

The original video shows the two leaving the conference together, while the viral photos mixed parts of Biden’s exit with footage of Zelensky speaking. In addition, the sound was also manipulated.

The hoax: Biden recognized Rishi Sunak in this video. The circulating photos delete the greeting between them

A video clip spread on social media in which Biden allegedly “did not recognize” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak upon his arrival at Belfast Airport, and pulled him aside to salute a soldier.

But it is wrong that the US President “did not recognize” Sunak. The viral video was cropped and deleted the moment the two shook hands and exchanged brief words.

The US President did not place the Medal of Honor upside down on a veteran

Social media users circulated photos in which the US President supposedly placed the Medal of Honor upside down on a veteran, with the plaque attached to his back. The widely circulated messages mocked Biden and his age, and questioned his health and ability to continue leading the US government, but the allegations were based on a hoax.

A better resolution version of the video showed how the president placed the medal correctly, with the plaque hanging in front.

Biden’s ‘mid-air’ salute hoax calls into question the president’s health

A video clip went viral in which the US President appeared giving a speech in North Carolina, and he supposedly saluted “live.” The widespread publications incorrectly linked the photos due to Biden’s age and health condition, but it is not true that he said the greeting “on the air.”

In fact, the president addressed the audience behind him, as has been proven PolitiFact.