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FACT CHECK
Joe Biden

No evidence Biden had a medical emergency on July 5 | Fact check

Portrait of Gabrielle Settles Gabrielle Settles
USA TODAY

The claim: Biden had a medical emergency on Air Force One on July 5

A July 5 Facebook post (archive link, direct link) shows a screenshot of another post shared by conservative activist Laura Loomer on X, formerly Twitter.

“Joe Biden is reportedly having a medical emergency on Air Force One right now," Loomer’s July 5 post reads. "Press access has been removed.”

The Facebook post was shared more than 90 times in four days. Loomer's original post was shared more than 6,000 times on X. Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah also shared the claim on X.

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Our rating: False

A journalist traveling with President Joe Biden reported no signs of an emergency, and Biden was filmed walking off the plane alone. A statement from the White House said the claim was false.

No evidence of medical emergency on flight home from Wisconsin

After a widely panned performance at the first presidential debate in June, Biden has been working to assuage concerns he is unfit for a second term because of his age. He was in Wisconsin on July 5 for a campaign rally and a sitdown interview with ABC news anchor George Stephanopoulos.

There is no evidence he experienced a medical emergency while flying home to Wilmington, Delaware.

The Associated Press, which also debunked the claim, stated that one of its reporters traveling with the president saw no signs of a medical emergency while aboard Air Force One.

Around the same time Loomer posted the claim, Biden was seen exiting the plane on his own, shaking a military officer's hand and answering a question from a reporter. The Independent livestreamed his exit from the plane.

The White House also said the claim was false in a statement to USA TODAY.

The White House press pool didn't report on a medical emergency, either. Nor did it mention reporter access being revoked from Air Force One. Press pool briefings show Biden took questions from reporters as Air Force One touched down in Delaware, that he disembarked from the plane and that his motorcade left the airport and drove to his home in Wilmington.

There are no credible news reports about Biden suffering a medical emergency on July 5.

Fact check: No, Karine Jean-Pierre didn't avoid reporter's question

USA TODAY reached out to Loomer and the Facebook user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response from either. Loomer continued to stand behind the claim on X, but provided no evidence.

PolitiFact also debunked the claim.

Our fact-check sources:

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