Fact check: Biden’s false and misleading claims at high-stakes news conference

Washington CNN —

President Joe Biden held a solo news conference on Thursday after a NATO summit in Washington, seeking to reassure voters concerned about his ability to serve and Democratic officials concerned about his ability to defeat former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.

Biden’s comments included some false and misleading claims. Here is a fact check.

Biden’s Putin-Zelensky gaffe moment

Biden played down a gaffe he made at an event earlier on Thursday in which he had mistakenly introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin” before correcting himself moments later. Biden said at the press conference: “I said, ‘No, I’m sorry, Zelensky.’ And then I added five other names.”

Facts First: Biden’s last claim was false. He didn’t utter “five other names” after he corrected the Putin-Zelensky mix-up. In fact, after Biden corrected himself, Zelensky said he is “better” than Putin, Biden agreed, and then Zelensky delivered remarks as Biden stood silently beside him.

Biden’s travels

Biden spoke of a need to “pace” himself in his activities. He said, “The next debate, I’m not going to be traveling 15 time zones a week before. Anyway. That’s what it was about.”

Facts First: This is misleading. Biden did not travel abroad “a week before” the June 27 CNN presidential debate in which he performed poorly. In fact, he returned to the US from Europe 12 days before that debate, on June 15.

Biden attended a fundraiser in Los Angeles on June 15, returned to the White House on June 16 and went to Camp David on June 20 for intensive debate preparations. He stayed at Camp David until the day of the CNN presidential debate against Trump, which was held in Atlanta.

What Trump said about