Fact check: Biden checked watch after ceremony at Dover Air Force Base
Category: News & Politics
Via: john-russell • 3 years ago • 46 commentsBy: Daniel Funke (USA TODAY)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Daniel FunkeUSA TODAY
The claim: Donald Trump saluted the caskets of fallen U.S. service members, while Joe Biden checked his watch
Our rating: Partly false
Based on our research, we rate PARTLY FALSE the claim that Trump saluted the caskets of fallen U.S. service members, while Biden checked his watch. The pictures are real, but they don't accurately summarize the two events. The way Biden honored the 11 caskets presented at Dover Air Force Base, with a hand over his heart, was similar to how Trump paid respects to fallen service members during his presidency. Biden checked his watch, but he did so after the ceremony had ended.
On Aug. 29, President Joe Biden paid his respects to U.S. service members who were killed in a terrorist attack at the Kabul airport. The president and first lady Jill Biden bowed and placed their hands over their hearts as 11 caskets were presented at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
But on social media, some doubted Biden's sincerity.
One popular post features two photos: one of Biden and one of now-former President Donald Trump. The picture shows Biden appearing to check his watch, Trump salutes as men in fatigues carry a casket draped in the American flag.
"A picture is worth a thousand words," reads text over the post, published Aug. 30 on Facebook.
Similar posts have racked up hundreds of thousands of interactions on Facebook and Instagram, according to CrowdTangle, a social media insights tool. An Aug. 29 Facebook Live video from Benny Johnson, a conservative commentator, accumulated more than 446,000 views within two days.
"BIDEN LOOKS AT HIS WATCH (!!!) AS CASKETS OF 13 SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN ARE DELIVERED TO THEIR FAMILIES," reads the caption of the video, which shows a still of Biden purportedly checking his watch during the dignified transfer, a process that honors slain service members returning to the U.S.
Biden has taken heat from all sides for the chaotic evacuation of U.S. troops, citizens and allies from Afghanistan. But the claim that he checked his watch instead of honoring the fallen service members is wrong.
USA TODAY reached out to social media users who shared the claim for comment.
Biden honored fallen troops
The full video of the dignified transfer ceremony shows Biden honored each of the fallen U.S. service members. He appeared to check his watch after the ceremony ended.
On Aug. 26, 11 Marines, one Navy hospital corpsman and an Army soldier were killed in bombings and gunfire at Hamid Karzai International Airport. ISIS-K, an Islamic State affiliate group in Afghanistan and Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack, which also killed at least 169 Afghans.
"These American service members who gave their lives ... they were heroes," Biden said during remarks after the terrorist attack. "Heroes who have been engaged in a dangerous, selfless mission to save the lives of others."
On Sunday, Biden met with service members' families and attended his first dignified transfer as president. Footage from the 45-minute ceremony shows Biden bowing his head and placing his hand over his heart as 11 caskets are carried off a plane and into gray vans. Two other transfers were conducted in private.
The way Biden paid his respects to the fallen service members is similar to what Trump did during his presidency.
The image of Trump in the Facebook posts appears to stem from a New York Times article published Nov. 21, 2019, when Trump attended a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force base to honor two Army soldiers killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. During the brief ceremony, Trump saluted as two caskets were carried into a waiting van.
For Biden, he did appear to check his watch during his visit to Dover Air Force Base. But he did so after the dignified transfer ceremony was over.
Footage leading up to the moment shows Biden with his hand over his heart for about 30 seconds as vans carry the service members' remains off the tarmac. After the vans had left, Biden closes his eyes briefly before dropping his arms and glancing down at his watch.
At that point, everyone else in the video also stands at ease, indicating that the ceremony was over. About 35 seconds later, Biden and the first lady walk off the tarmac toward a black SUV.
USA TODAY reached out to the White House for comment.
Our rating: Partly false
Based on our research, we rate PARTLY FALSEthe claim that Trump saluted the caskets of fallen U.S. service members, while Biden checked his watch. The pictures are real, but they don't accurately summarize the two events. The way Biden honored the 11 caskets presented at Dover Air Force Base, with a hand over his heart, was similar to how Trump paid respects to fallen service members during his presidency. Biden checked his watch, but he did so after the ceremony had ended.
Our fact-check sources:
- C-SPAN, Aug. 29, President Biden Pays Respect to U.S. Service Members Killed in Afghanistan
- USA TODAY, Aug. 27, They made the 'ultimate sacrifice': The 13 US service members killed in Afghanistan airport bombing
- USA TODAY, Aug. 29, Fact check: Bidens attended dignified transfer of 13 fallen service members
- CrowdTangle, accessed Aug. 31
- USA TODAY, Aug. 22, For Biden, fallout from the Afghanistan withdrawal abroad complicates agenda at home
- Factba.se, accessed Aug. 31, Remarks: Joe Biden Addresses the Terrorist Bombings in Kabul - August 26, 2021
- USA TODAY, Aug. 29, Biden meets with families of service members killed in Kabul suicide bombing
- USA TODAY, Aug. 26, What is ISIS-K? Islamic State terror group carried out Kabul attack that killed 13 U.S. troops
- The New York Times, Nov. 21, 2019, Trump Pays Respects to 2 Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan
- USA TODAY, Nov. 21, 2019, Trump visits Dover to honor remains of two soldiers killed in Afghanistan
- USA TODAY, Aug. 26, Dire warnings, then explosions and US deaths: How a terror strike unfolded at Kabul airport
- AP Archive on YouTube, Nov. 26, 2019, Trump at Dover AFB to receive remains of fallen soldiers
- Getty Images, Nov. 21, 2019, Dignified Transfer Held For 2 Soldiers Killed In Helicopter Crash In Afghanistan
Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.
Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.
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So the grieving father that told Sean Hannity that Biden checked his watch 13 times was not telling the truth. That is sad.
With no video focused on Biden the entire time we won't know. We know he was caught once. I'll believe the family members of the fallen before I believe Daniel Funke who is assigned to "misinformation for "Big Brother." You need a video focused on Biden for the entire ceremony otherwise all we have is he said/she said!
So the grieving father
No, It's wasn't just one grieving father!:
Thanks for the video with the 'assigned' musical dirge that teared me to compliant belief. Gotta get that muzak guy to play with the helicopter video.
I dont believe Biden checked his watch 13 times, which is what the father told Hannity. There is one photo of him appearing to look toward his watch as he lowers his arm and brings the other up.
You are right about one thing though. Without a dedicated camera on Biden there is no video proof one way or the other.
Yup - looks like a watch-check to me.
@!@
Clearly.
Biden got caught.
What I don't get is why.
His schedule is handled by his people.
No need for him to even look, as they would have whisked him away when it was time.
He is admiring his shiny Rolex.
Whatshisname, #45, sees these dead brave soldiers as losers.
These accusations are getting so fucking childish - there are members here who promote and support this kind of garbage should spend their time watching the Muppet Show instead of wasting OUR time on this site.
Nobody is wasting your time. [Deleted]
[Deleted]
Okay, now that the Biden-bashers have determined that it is wrong for Biden to check his watch, especially since in his position he has to be careful how he spends his time, the next thing they could do is check to see which foot he puts forward first when he starts walking. That's REALLY important.
Biden puts his foot in his mouth constantly, never forward.
But thank you for playing the apologize for Biden game the Democrats and their lemmings thank you for it.
You're welcome. It's my pleasure to be sarcastic about bullshit.
I think people pretending that if any Republican President had checked his watch during a similar ceremony wouldn't have been met with a wave of criticism is only trying to convince themselves because the rest of us ain't buying it.
So let's be clear here. You note that Biden is losing support (no doubt that is true). But you call those who remain 'gullible'. Okay, maybe that is true.
Do you support Trump?
Do you believe Trump won in 2020?
Do you think, especially given the Big Lie, that Trump should be reelected given his demonstrably abysmal character and integrity?
Just curious to see where you stand given your comment on the Biden supporters.
I read that FOX News has now admitted that Biden was not looking at his watch. So much for the garbage bullshit.
Well, USA Today updated this fact check.
Corrections & Clarifications: This story was updated Sept. 2 to note that Biden checked his watch multiple times at the dignified transfer event, including during the ceremony itself. The rating on this claim has been changed from partly false to missing context.
See post 3.2.4.
Thanks!
So now you are using a source you routinely criticize.
Do you believe Fox, [deleted] eyes after seeing actual, real photos of the President actually looking at his watch?
Why would anyone deny what is evident?
Garbage bullshit is denying what your own eyes see.
Good catch..
What a ridiculous attempt at a fact check.
The Gold Star families being accused of lying was pissing me off! I am glad USA Today set the record straight.
Whatshisname, #45, doesn't give a shit about Gold Star parents or those brave dead soldiers, they're all losers in his eyes. The only one he cares about is himself.
Projection, deflection, and denial all you have?
Whatever. This article is about Biden.
No, it wasn't.
TDS turns everything into a discussion of Trump.
That's why I read USA Today for the news, and once in a while Fox news for a laugh.
That’s your opinion. I don’t think the Gold Star families who were in attendance to see their soldiers body come home and were then being accused of lying would agree.
That wasn't intended for you dear. Did I address you? It's a comment on the entire 'article'.
They probably wouldn't.
But since this is Biden, you aren't supposed to criticize anything he does, ever.
One of the Gold Star fathers told Fox that Biden looked at his watch 13 times, one for each casket.
I find that extremely unlikely. I also find it unlikely that he looked at his watch four times in the 45 minutes the ceremony lasted. Once, I will buy because that appears to be what happened , athough it is not completely clear either.
See post 3.2.4
Not really a comment. It was a stupid Gif that I am free to respond to.
Whatever.
Never said you couldn't
See post 4