In September 2023, information dispersed on the Internet that the US president “escaped” from the official ceremony, although not all veterans received a medal from his hands. We decided to check if this is so.

On September 6, 2023, the news appeared in the Russian segment of the Internet that US President Joe Biden during a ceremony in honor of war veterans in Vietnam after applause suddenly left, deciding that the event was over, although by that time not all participants were awarded. Some clarify that Biden left the ceremony "before the final and main award." Information about this was especially widely dispersed into Telegram: the channels wrote about embarrassment with the participation of the American leader "Truthfulness"(172,000 views at the time of writing this analysis),"Putin in Telegram"(162 000),"The voice of the country"(90 000),"Dear persimmon"(77 000),"Special operation z"(66 000),"True Russia"(63,000) and others wrote about this in both social networks, and not only users, but also some media (for example, TV channel "Ren-TV").

On September 5, 2023, Joe Biden was really present at the award ceremony in the White House. How reports The US Department of Defense, Vietnam War Vetnamia Larry L. Taylor handed the Medal of Honor for the outstanding courage manifested on the battlefield. In 1968, Taylor managed a military helicopter and received a request for help from the enemy surrounded by the enemy soldiers of the American army. He had neither ammunition, nor other resources for a rescue operation, and yet he still saved the lives of four colleagues. For their exploits on the Taylor battlefield received Several combat awards. A few decades later, David Hill, one of those whom Taylor saved in that flight, was surprised to learn that the veteran still does not have a medal - the highest military award of the United States. He began the campaign in support of Taylor, and in 2023 the president nevertheless handed him this award.

If you look at the broadcast from this event at the official YouTube channel White House or Video, which Showed many American television channels, there is no space for doubt: Biden said speech About the heroism of Taylor, and then awarded him a medal of honor. The veteran was the only one who was planned to present the award - the entire ceremony was organized only in his honor. “Verified” failed to find any information that someone else had to receive medals.

This is not the first time that the media and bloggers disseminate misinformation about Biden's allegedly inadequate behavior. So, “verified” previously analyzed reports that the president at a similar ceremony allotment The medal on the veteran backwards that he I sniffed child at a meeting with the families of military personnel and that he is He fell asleep During a meeting with victims of fires in Hawaii. None of these messages corresponded to reality, and many such manipulations become possible due to the low quality video or unsuccessful angle, which are used by unscrupulous media and bloggers. Often the video is completely mounted.

Nevertheless, this time, the reports of Biden's too hasty departure from the event had reasons - some American media also wrote about this, for example The New York Times And New York Post. However, this is not at all that he forgot to reward someone. Immediately after the presentation of the medal, the president left the hall, without waiting for the final prayer that Capellan had to read at the end of the Capellan ceremony. Some considered this disrespect for the veteran who stood on the stage, wiping tears, while Biden turned his back to him and proceeded to the door. For the same video from the award, it is noticeable how journalists and other participants watch him in surprise. Note that in this way the news was covered in a number of Russian media, among which Life, "RIA Novosti""Evening Moscow","Gazeta.ru"And others.

The earliest of the “tested” publications found with the statement that Bayden awarded not everyone who was supposed to be a post in the Telegram channel "Freshness"(47,000 views), published at night from September 5 to 6, 2023 Moscow time. It also provides a 47-second excerpt from the broadcast from the event-it begins from the moment when the American president, having already handed Taylor Medal, leaves, and the veteran remains to be on the stage alone. According to this video, it is really incomprehensible whether Taylor who should have been awarded, or other veterans are also present behind the scenes. Perhaps the authors of the Telegram channel misunderstood what caused the outrage of part of the American public, and because of this they significantly distorted the information.

Thus, Biden really left the veteran award ceremony before, without waiting for the end of the church blessing, and thereby caused discontent of both ordinary Americans and parts of the media. However, to say that he awarded “not all” or left “before the final and main award” incorrectly, because he had to hand the medal to only one person - and he did exactly it.

Photo on the cover: screenshot video The White House