FACT CHECK: Did The Atlantic Publish This Article About Joe Biden’s Bike Fall?

Elias Atienza | Senior Reporter

An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows an article from The Atlantic with a headline that reads, “The Heroism of Biden’s Bike Fall.”

Verdict: False

The image is digitally altered. An Atlantic spokesperson confirmed the outlet did not publish such an article.

Fact Check:

President Joe Biden fell off his bike on Saturday during a ride in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware as he met with onlookers and reporters, according to The New York Times. He did not need any medical attention after the fall, the outlet reported.

The Facebook post purportedly shows an article from The Atlantic titled, “The Heroism of Biden’s Bike Fall.” The article’s subheadline states the president “gracefully illustrated an important lesson for all Americans – when we fall, we must get back up.”

The article is digitally fabricated. A search of The Atlantic’s website and verified social media accounts did not yield any results for the alleged article. There are likewise no credible news reports or commentary articles that use the wording depicted in the article to describe Biden’s accidental fall.

“I can verify that this is not a real article from The Atlantic, and is indeed fabricated,” said Anna Bross, a spokesperson for The Atlantic, in an email to Check Your Fact. (RELATED: Joe Biden Claims Individuals Could Not Buy Cannons When The Second Amendment Was Enacted)

The photo appears to include the handle @Grandoldmemes, an account that identifies as a “meme plug” on Twitter and a “digital creator” on Instagram.

This is not the first time an altered screenshot of a news article has circulated on social media. Check Your Fact recently debunked an image claiming to show a New York Post article about a wave of refugees from Africa headed to Europe.

Elias Atienza

Senior Reporter
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