FACT CHECK: Did Joe Biden Misspell The Word ‘Billion’ During His Remarks On The Debt Ceiling?
A post shared on Facebook purports President Joe Biden misspelled the word “billion” while delivering remarks about the U.S. debt ceiling.
Verdict: Misleading
The original video, uploaded to CBS News’ YouTube channel, shows Biden spelling the word correctly. A transcript of his remarks shared on the White House’s website contains the misspelling.
Fact Check:
A debt ceiling negotiation standoff could impact Biden’s plans to attend this year’s Group of Seven (G-7) event in Sydney on May 24, according to NBC News. Biden told reporters he was considering using the 14th Amendment to handle the debt ceiling Tuesday, according to Axios.
“No worries, he’s totally mentally fit & ready to destroy the country & lead us into WW3,” the Facebook post’s caption reads. The post includes an excerpt of Biden’s remarks and claims he spelled the word “billion” as “B – I – L – O – I- O – N.”
The claim is misleading. The original video, uploaded to CBS News’ YouTube channel, shows Biden spelling the word correctly. “We cut the deficit by $160 billion. Billion. B – I – L – L – I – O – N,” Biden says around the video’s 15:05-minute mark. (RELATED: Viral Video Claims Joe Biden Used Different Hands To Sign Documents)
A transcript of Biden’s remarks shared on the White House’s website contains the misspelling, with the word “billion” written as ” B – I – L – O – I – O – N.”
Likewise, there are no credible news reports indicating the President misspelled the word while delivering his remarks on the U.S. debt ceiling. The claim also neither appears on the White House’s website nor its verified social media accounts. In addition, Biden has not publicly commented on the claim using either his personal or government Twitter accounts.
Biden delivered his remarks on the U.S. debt ceiling May 10 in Valhalla, New York, according to The Associated Press. The President criticized Republican-demanded spending cuts, calling them “devastating” during the campaign-style speech, the outlet reported.
Check Your Fact has contacted the White House for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
