POTUS retort tweet regarding Fox News 'wannabe dictator' jibe has been fabricated
No such tweet was sent from Biden's Twitter account
CLAIM
An alleged screenshot of a tweet circulating online purporting to be from the official @POTUS account claimed to show U.S. President Joe Biden addressing Fox News after the network labelled him a "wannabe dictator" earlier this week.
RATING
The screenshot is a fabrication. No such tweet was sent from the official @POTUS Twitter account.
BACKGROUND
On June 13, a Fox News split-screen broadcast of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s post-arraignment speech and remarks by U.S. President Joe Biden lower third caption read: “Wannabe dictator speaks at the White House after having his political rival arrested.”
Many social media users shared screenshots and videos of the sensational lower third, which indeed was broadcast by Fox News.
A day later, a screenshot of an alleged tweet by U.S. President Joe Biden emerged on social media, being shared by several users, including on Facebook, which read, " Fox News just called me a 'wannabe dictator'. The next thing you know they'll say I just got indicted, was best-friends with Jeffrey Epstein, and look like the human embodiment of an orange jumpsuit. It's called projection, folks."
The Facebook user shared the image with the caption, "haaaaddddeeee hahahaha #DarkBrandon #JoeBiden #trollmaster:"
METHOD
A search of social media platforms indicated the image of the tweet was first shared online by Twitter user @FaithRubPol, a known creator of disinformation online.
The account's bio reads, "Trying to understand this crazy world & get a few laughs. Most of our screenshots are parodies."
A Twitter advanced search of the @POTUS account showed no such tweet being tweeted on June 14, nor has any news organisation reported on such a response from the president.
From this, we can conclude that no such tweet was sent from the official @POTUS account.
RATING
The screenshot is a fabrication. No such tweet was sent from the official @POTUS Twitter account.
SOURCES
Facebook.com. (2023). Shaaaaddddeeee hahahaha #DarkBrandon #JoeBiden... - Allison Thompson. [online] Available at: Link [Accessed 15 Jun. 2023].
Twitter. (2023). Fox News ends its 8pm hour w/ the chyron: “wannabe dictator speaks at the White House after having his political rival arrested” Chyron went away when Hannity took over at 9. [online] Available at: Link [Accessed 15 Jun. 2023].
Twitter. (2023). Biden responds to the Wannabe Dictator remark [online] Available at: Link [Accessed 15 Jun. 2023].
Twitter. (2023). @POTUS [online] Available at: Link [Accessed 15 Jun. 2023].
Twitter. (2023). Advanced search [online] Available at: Link [Accessed 15 Jun. 2023].