FACT CHECK: Did Joe Biden Tweet About Trying To Get An Instagram Page Removed After It Alleged He Wore A Wire?
A viral Instagram post liked over 18,600 times purportedly shows Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden tweeting that he “consulted Instagram’s CEO” to take down an account that alleged Biden wore a wire during the first presidential debate.
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Verdict: False
There is no record of Biden tweeting the statement. Check Your Fact has previously debunked the claim Biden wore a wire during the debate.
Fact Check:
The Instagram post, which comes from a self-described “fanpage” for White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, shows what appears to be a tweet from the former vice president. The alleged tweet reads, “I have consulted with Instagram’s CEO to take the page @electionleaks down. They have supposedly posted ‘video proof’ of me using a hidden earpiece in tonight’s debate. This is slander, and not true. Do not follow them.”
However, a review of Biden’s current tweets, as well as a search of ProPublica’s archive of his deleted tweets, shows the 2020 Democratic nominee did not tweet this statement. The tweet has been fabricated. (RELATED: Did Joe Biden Wear A Wire During The First Presidential Debate?)
The video posted to the @electionleaks account that includes the alleged “video proof” has been rated false by fact-checkers. In the video, a narrator can be heard saying, “There it is… Biden’s wearing a wire. Why do you need a wire, bro?”
Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield told reporters hours before the Sept. 29 debate, “Of course he’s not wearing an earpiece.”
Check Your Fact also previously debunked the claim that Biden wore a wire during the first presidential debate. Social media users falsely pointed to images of a crease in Biden’s shirt and a set of rosary beads that Biden has worn since the passing of his son Beau.
This isn’t the first time social media users have shared a fake tweet from a politician referencing a specific Instagram account. In late September, an image of a fabricated tweet alleged Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris said on Twitter, “I just filed an official complaint with Instagram to get @cops.page removed from the platform. We need to focus on defunding the police rather than supporting them. Do not follow this page.”
