D-Day ceremony video cut to give impression Biden tried to sit without a chair | Fact check

Nate Trela, USA TODAY

The claim: Video shows Biden tried to sit in a nonexistent chair at D-Day ceremony in France

A June 6 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows a video of President Joe Biden shaking hands with French President Emmanuel Macron before squatting and reaching down toward the ground.

“Biden just tried to sit in a chair that didn't exist,” text in the video reads in part.

The post was liked more than 700 times in a day. Other social media users made similar claims sharing the same footage.

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Our rating: False

The video was cut short to make it appear as if there was no chair behind Biden. The full video of the event shows there is a chair behind Biden, which he promptly sits in.

Video of D-Day ceremony shows Biden sitting

Biden and other world leaders took part June 6 in a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the pivotal Allied operation to liberate France during World War II.

The video in the social media post shows Biden’s exchange with Macron, followed by him crouching slightly while reaching back. The 13-second clip abruptly cuts off while First Lady Jill Biden appears to say something to the president and an announcer welcomes Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

But a black chair is visible behind Biden in the complete footage of the event, which was livestreamed on YouTube. It shows the president began sitting as the music of the event stopped, paused when Austin was introduced, and then sat down. The Instagram video cuts off right before Biden sits in the chair behind him.

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USA TODAY has debunked multiple claims revolving around altered or deceptively edited videos of Biden. Some have been cut short to make it appear as if he was making outrageous claims while others altered the pace or content of his speech.

USA TODAY could not reach the social media user who shared the claim for comment.

AFP also debunked the claim.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: No, video does not show Biden about to sit without chair | Fact check

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