Says Joe Biden tweeted, “I have consulted with Instagram’s CEO to take the page @electionleaks down. They have supposedly ‘video proof’ of me using a hidden earpiece in tonight’s debate. This is slander, and not true.”
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Biden didn’t tweet this, or wear an earpiece during the debate
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- Joe Biden didn’t tweet this, and he didn’t wear an earpiece during the debate.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden didn’t wear an earpiece during the first presidential debate, and he didn’t tweet about one either.
"I have consulted with Instagram’s CEO to take the page @electionleaks down," reads what looks like a tweet from Biden that’s being shared on Instagram. "They have supposedly ‘video proof’ of me using a hidden earpiece in tonight’s debate. This is slander, and not true. Do not follow them."
This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
The Biden campaign told us this isn’t an authentic tweet.
Searching Biden’s verified Twitter account, we didn’t find that tweet. Searching for "ear piece" and "earpiece," we found one from debate night — but it’s a joke.
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"It’s debate night, so I’ve got my earpiece and performance enhancers ready," Biden tweeted on Sept. 29, sharing a photo of Apple headphones and ice cream.
We also didn’t find the tweet in a database of deleted tweets kept by ProPublica.
We visited the Instagram account mentioned in the doctored Biden tweet and on Sept. 29, the account posted a video of alleged proof that Biden was wearing a wire during the debate. But we’ve already fact-checked that, and it’s wrong.
So is the claim that Biden tweeted this. We rate it Pants on Fire.
Our Sources
Instagram post, Sept. 29, 2020
PolitiFact, Biden did not wear a wire during the first presidential debate, Sept. 30, 2020
Joe Biden tweet, Sept. 29, 2020
Politwoops, Deleted tweets from Joe Biden, visited Oct. 5, 2020
Statement from Joe Biden’s campaign, Oct. 5, 2020
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More by Ciara O'Rourke
Biden didn’t tweet this, or wear an earpiece during the debate
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