FACT CHECK: Did Joe Biden Provide $8 Billion In Military Aid To Israel After Hamas Attack?
A post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, allegedly shows a release by the White House stating President Joe Biden had signed off on a $8 billion memorandum for emergency military aid to Israel.
Biden has instantly approved the allocation of $8 billion in military aid to Israel.
Somehow there’s always money for violence.
And somehow the bombing of civilians is ignored.
— Stop Cop City (@JoshuaPHilll) October 7, 2023
Verdict: False
The claim is false. The National Security Council and the State Department confirmed to Check Your Fact that Biden had not approved $8 billion in military aid.
Fact Check:
Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel, killing hundreds of Israeli civilians and soldiers while kidnapping at least 100 people, according to the Times of Israel. Israel responded with airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and fighting to take back towns and villages overrun by Hamas, the outlet reported.
Social media users have been sharing a claim that Biden approved $8 billion military aid to Israel. One version shows a purported document from the White House website making such an announcement.
These claims are false. The White House website has not featured such an announcement, aside from an earlier statement condemning the attacks. The image appears to be photoshopped from a July 25 White House memo authorizing more weapons to Ukraine.
“The tweet presents false information,” A spokesperson from the State Department told Check Your Fact Oct. 7 via email. (RELATED: Fact Checking Videos, Images And Posts From The October Hamas Attack On Israel)
The spokesperson also pointed to a 2021 article from the State Department and a 2022 statement from the White House detailing the relationship between Israel and the U.S and a joint declaration between the two countries.
A National Security Council spokesperson also confirmed to Check Your Fact in an Oct. 7 email that the claim is false. Axios reported Oct. 8 that the Pentagon will approve an emergency military aid package to Ukraine, but did not specify the amount.
NBC News reported that at least two publications and several Twitter Blue users spread the false claim. Viral posts with the false claim have had hundreds of thousands of views on X, the outlet reported.
Jesse Stiller contributed to this report.