Fake Joe Biden Video Snubbing Rishi Sunak Goes Viral: It's Edited!
(Photo : JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
President Joe Biden's trip to Northern Ireland has included blunders for which the commander-in-chief has a renowned reputation.

Social media users assert that a video of US President Joe Biden's arrival in Belfast on April 11, 2023, shows him failing to recognize British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and pushing him aside.

This is erroneous; the claims are founded on a clip that has been edited to remove seconds of footage showing the two leaders shaking hands and conversing.

Viral Photos Show Biden Pushes Sunak

Similar posts on Twitter and other platforms, such as TikTok, accumulated views as the president of the United States continued his overseas tour in Ireland.

Twitter Error

The allegations that Biden ignored Sunak as he landed in Northern Ireland are false, as they are founded on a video edited to omit their salutation and handshake.

"Upon arrival in Belfast, the Biden did not recognize the Prime Minister of Great Britain and pushed the 'boy' away to salute the gray-haired military man," according to a tweet published on April 12, 2023, by 'Spriter,' a Twitter account that has previously disseminated false information about the Ukraine conflict.

The 16-second video was viewed more than 2,300,000,000 times. When greeted at the airport, Joe Biden allegedly pushed aside British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to salute an unidentified Caucasian man, according to a second post sharing a video by conservative commentator Ian Miles Cheong.

The version of the video that supports the claim that Biden did not recognize Sunak is derived from edited footage of Biden's arrival on Sky News's YouTube channel. However, Sky News released a video depicting the exchange between the two leaders on its website. Biden holds Sunak's hand and converses with him briefly before acknowledging others on the tarmac.


The video's accompanying headline states, "US President Joe Biden and UK prime minister Rishi Sunak shake hands."

In a lengthier recording shared on Twitter by the British broadcaster, Biden and Sunak can be heard conversing on the tarmac following their initial greetings.

The leaders' salutation was broadcast on C-SPAN and other media outlets. AFP captured images and video of Biden's arrival as well. Biden and Sunak have met on multiple occasions, including in March in California.

After their second meeting on April 12 in Belfast, Sunak stated that the relationship between their two countries was in "excellent condition." AFP has previously debunked other false information regarding Biden's travels.

From mistaking Canada for China to fist-bumping Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Biden's capacity for protocol blunders and error-prone public appearances has been well-documented.

Nevertheless, available video evidence suggests that the president did not fail to recognize Sunak upon his arrival in Belfast.

First, there is a low probability that Biden did not recognize Sunak as he landed in Northern Ireland, given that the two leaders last met less than a month ago.

On March 13, 2023, Sunak, Biden, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met in San Diego to sign the AUKUS agreement, a partnership whereby the United Kingdom and the United States would provide Australia with maritime nuclear technology capable of covert, long-range missions.

According to Newsweek via MSN, the parties share their classified military capabilities, cyber and artificial intelligence, and other subsea capabilities under the terms of the tripartite agreement.

In November 2022, Sunak and Biden first met in Bali, Indonesia, as part of the G20 summit. The duo held a filmed bilateral meeting on November 16, 2022. Biden congratulated Sunak on becoming prime minister and stated that the meeting was an "opportunity to reaffirm the incredible and close relationship between Great Britain and the United States."

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Joe Biden's Trip to Northern Ireland

Given their meetings' frequency, it is unlikely that Biden did not recognize Sunak in Belfast, as per Daily Mail. The Twitter-shared video shows Biden squeezing past Sunak to salute the Lord Lieutenant of County Antrim. Video footage of the president's arrival indicates that Biden did not disregard Sunak.

The clip posted on Twitter makes it appear as though Biden walks past Sunak after touchdown, whereas live footage of the landing reveals otherwise. Before Air Force One's doors opened, Sunak and the Lord Lieutenant positioned themselves outside the aircraft, with Sunak near "The Beast," the president's armored vehicle.

The vehicle limits Biden's view as he walks from Air Force One to the runway. However, through an obstructed view from the rear window, you can see Sunak approaching the president to greet him.

Several moments later, Sunak shifts to the side, allowing Biden to approach the Lord Lieutenant. Biden's arrival in Northern Ireland was met with a comparatively muted reaction. Only small crowds appeared before he met with the UK prime minister and his lecture at Ulster University's Belfast campus on Wednesday.

Key avenues were cordoned off by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), which may have contributed to the lack of crowds. The PSNI has taken precautions in part because the terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland was raised to "severe" on March 28.

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