FACT CHECK: Did Biden Fall Asleep During The 2024 Presidential Debate?
A post shared on Instagram purports President Joe Biden fell asleep during the 2024 presidential debate.
View this post on Instagram
Verdict: False
The claim is false. The image, which originally stems from Getty Images and is included among a series of images captured during the debate, shows Biden looking down, not sleeping.
Fact Check:
Biden said he doesn’t “debate as well as [he] used to” during a June 28 North Carolina campaign rally, according to ABC News. Biden gave a poor performance during the 2024 presidential debate hours prior, the outlet reported.
The Instagram post, which has garnered over 28,000 likes as of writing, purports Biden fell asleep during the 2024 presidential debate. The post features a photo of Biden where he appears to have his eyes closed. “Joe Biden literally just fell asleep during the debate,” text above the image reads.
The claim is false. The image, which originally stems from Getty Images and is included among a series of images captured during the debate, shows Biden looking down, not sleeping.
“US President Joe Biden looks down as he participates in the first presidential debate of the 2024 elections with former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at CNN’s studios in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 27, 2024,” the image’s caption reads.
Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find any credible news reports to support the claim. Actually, the opposite is true. On June 28, Lead Stories reported the claim was false. According to the outlet, the image included in the Instagram post matched the 7:52- and 8:00-minute timestamps of the debate, where Biden could be seen looking down while his opponent, former President Donald Trump was speaking. The debate, which was hosted by CNN, is available in its entirety via their YouTube channel.
In addition, the White House has not publicly commented on the claim via its website or its verified social media accounts. Biden has not responded to the claim, either. (RELATED: Joe Biden Falsely Claims Zero Troops Died Abroad During His Presidency)
Check Your Fact has contacted the White House for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.