FACT CHECK: Instagram Post Falsely Claims Joe Biden Has Resigned As President
A post shared on Instagram claims President Joe Biden has resigned from the office of president as of July 2024.
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Verdict: False
The claim is false. In a July 21 letter shared via his verified X account, Biden said he would not be seeking reelection in 2024 but would finish out his term as president.
Fact Check:
Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have called on Biden to resign as president following his exit from the 2024 presidential race, according to NBC News. In a recent statement, Johnson said that if Biden is unfit to run for reelection, then he is also unfit to serve as president, the outlet reported.
The Instagram post, which has received over 1,000 likes, claims Biden has resigned from the office of president as of July 2024. “Joe Byeden,” the post reads, making a pun out of Biden’s last name. “Joe Biden just resigned,” it continues. The post does not provide a source to support its claim.
The claim is false. In a July 21 letter shared via his verified X account, Biden said he would not be seeking reelection in 2024 but would finish out his term as president. “It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” he explained. Biden also said he planned to address the nation later in the week to share more information about his decision via the same letter.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Likewise, in a subsequent post in which he endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Party’s 2024 presidential nominee, Biden reiterated that he would finish out his term despite not seeking reelection. “My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden began.
“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this,” he continued.
Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports suggesting Biden had resigned. Actually, the opposite is true. On July 22, USA Today reported the claim was false, citing the same July 21 letter from Biden. Furthermore, the claim is neither referenced on the White House’s website nor its verified social media accounts. (RELATED: Did Joe Biden Say Account Was Hacked After He Dropped Out?)
Check Your Fact has contacted the White House for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
