Profane chant added to video of Joe Biden walking through Lahaina after Maui fires | Fact check
The claim: Video shows Hawaiians shouting 'F--- Joe Biden'
An Aug. 21 video posted on X, formerly Twitter, shows President Joe Biden walking down the street with first lady Jill Biden, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green and Green's wife. A crowd can be heard directing a profane chant at the president.
"Sleepy Joe landed in #Hawaii," reads the post's caption. "The entire population there are (sic) shouting – 'F--- Joe Biden.'"
The post garnered more than 7,000 likes on X and 100 shares on Facebook in a week, according to CrowdTangle, a social media analytics tool. Similar versions of the claim have been shared on X and Facebook.
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Our rating: Altered
The chanting has been digitally added to the video. Original footage shows the Bidens' walk in Lahaina, Hawaii, was mostly silent.
No chanting heard during Biden's walk through Lahaina
The president and first lady walked around Lahaina to survey the damage after recent wildfires destroyed much of the city and killed at least 115 people as of Aug. 25. Biden has been criticized for declining to comment on the fires earlier in the month and for waiting two weeks after the fires started to visit Hawaii.
The heckling in the X video never happened, however.
The footage, which was originally published by C-SPAN on X, doesn't feature any cursing or yelling. The audio is hushed with no discernible speaking.
Similar videos published on YouTube by CBS News and The Washington Post are quiet as well.
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Audio of the same chant has been used in another video previously debunked by Paste BN.
The X user couldn't be reached for comment.
The claim has also been debunked by Lead Stories, Reuters and AFP.
Our fact-check sources:
- Washington Post (YouTube), Aug. 21, Biden speaks on wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii (8/21 - FULL LIVE STREAM) (YouTube)
- CBS News (YouTube), Aug. 21, Biden speaks in Lahaina after surveying Maui fire damage | full video
- C-SPAN, Aug. 21, X post
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