Tweets distort Biden’s comments on tanks, Ukraine and World War III

President Joe Biden announced Jan. 25 that the U.S. will send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine to help it defend against Russia. 

A day later, a meme account on Twitter highlighted a comment Biden made nearly a year ago, shortly after Russia’s invasion, about sending tanks to Ukraine. The meme’s quotation of Biden from March was deceptively edited to make it seem like the president had said sending tanks alone to Ukraine would be akin to starting World War III.

"The idea that we’re going to send in tanks to Ukraine, that’s called World War III," read text above a photo of Biden dated March 11, 2022, on a meme shared on Twitter. Below is another photo of Biden dated Jan. 25, 2023, accompanied by a quote from Biden announcing the decision to send the tanks to Ukraine.

The tweet had over 15 million views on Feb. 1 and also drew a reply from Twitter CEO Elon Musk, who wrote, "The war is escalating quickly." The meme originated from a Twitter account called Political Blasphememes, where it received little engagement.

But the quote about World War III leaves out the full context of Biden’s statement, in which he said offensive equipment, planes, tanks and trains would not be going into Ukraine "with American pilots and American crews."

In remarks at the House Democratic Caucus Issues Conference in Philadelphia in March, Biden spoke of America’s "sacred obligation" to protect NATO allies, explaining why he sent troops to NATO countries along Russia’s border. Ukraine is not a NATO member.

According to a White House transcript, Biden made clear "we will not fight the third World War in Ukraine." 

He then said this:

"But, look, the idea that we’re going to send in offensive equipment and have planes and tanks and trains going in with American pilots and American crews, just understand, and don’t kid yourself, no matter what you all say, that’s called ‘World War III.’ OK? Let’s get it straight here, guys. That old expression, ‘Don’t kid a kidder.’"

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The New York Post on March 11, 2022, framed Biden’s remarks as a response to criticism after he rejected Poland’s offer to transfer 28 MiG-29 fighter jets for use by Ukraine. The decision to reject the offer from Poland came on March 8, 2022.

Sean Savett, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, said "that tweet leaves out the president’s full comments on March 11, 2022, which talked about sending in tanks with American pilots and American crews."

Savett also pointed to comments Biden made on Jan. 25 when announcing the move. Biden said the move was to help Ukraine defend its territory and that "it is not an offensive threat to Russia."

The Abrams tanks are the U.S. Army’s primary ground combat system, according to an Army website, and they are sold to U.S. allies, including Australia, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. It may take months for the tanks to actually hit the battlefield, senior administration officials said in a Jan. 25 news briefing.

According to multiple news reports, the White House had for months resisted sending the tanks to Ukraine, with officials claiming that they were complicated to use, expensive and hard to train on, but relented under pressure from Germany, which was reluctant to send its own tanks without the U.S. commitment.

Biden denied that Germany had forced his hand, however.

​​"Germany didn’t force me to change my mind. We wanted to make sure we were all together. And that’s what we were going to do all along, and that’s what we’re doing right now," he said in response to a question after announcing the decision.

A meme shared in a tweet claimed that in March, Biden said, "The idea that we’re going to send in tanks to Ukraine, that’s called World War III." Biden announced the U.S. will be sending M1 Abrams tanks about 10 months later.

The quote is edited to leave out the full context of Biden’s comments. He said the U.S. would not be sending offensive equipment and planes, tanks and trains with U.S. pilots and crews.

We rate the claim False.