An Instagram post falsely claimed that First Lady Jill Biden was in two places at the same time.
USA Today's fact-checking confirmed that the images were captured on separate days, showing Jill Biden in Washington, D.C., on July 24 and in Paris on July 25.
On July 29, an Instagram post circulated two images of Jill Biden: one showing her hugging a man in a white shirt with red and blue stripes and another with her standing behind President Joe Biden in a blue suit. The post misleadingly claimed that the First Lady was simultaneously in Paris alone and at the White House with Joe Biden.
The post gained traction quickly, receiving over 100 likes within two days. However, a thorough fact-check determined the claim was false. The photos were indeed of Jill Biden but were taken on different days.
The images show Jill Biden with President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C., on July 24, and in Paris on July 25. On July 24, President Joe Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office at about 8 p.m. EDT, followed by a greeting of staff in the Rose Garden. One of the photos in the Instagram post captures this moment.
Shelley Greenspan posted Footage from this event on X at 9:17 p.m. EDT on July 24, confirming Jill Biden’s presence at the White House that evening. The following day, Jill Biden flew to France as scheduled to lead the U.S. presidential delegation for the opening of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Another image from the Instagram post shows Jill Biden deplaning in France. Vanessa Valdivia posted a photograph on X of Jill Biden walking down the plane's stairs at 5:22 a.m. EDT on July 25.
The Instagram post did not provide evidence to support the claim that the images were taken simultaneously. The timing and location of the photos were independently verified through other sources, proving the falsehood of the simultaneous claim.
Attempts to reach the Instagram user who shared the post were unsuccessful. The original X user who posted the images did not respond to requests for comment either.
PolitiFact, a well-known fact-checking organization, also debunked the claim, reinforcing the conclusion that Jill Biden was not in two places at once.
Misleading claims on social media are not uncommon, and this incident underscores the importance of verifying information before sharing it widely. The claim that Jill Biden was in both Washington, D.C. and Paris at the same time was quickly disproven through readily available evidence.
Jill Biden’s itinerary was public knowledge, with her scheduled presence at the opening of the 2024 Paris Olympics being well-documented. The verification of the dates and locations of the photos involved simple cross-referencing with known public events and official postings.
An Instagram post falsely claimed that Jill Biden was in two places at the same time, but fact-checking revealed the truth. The images were taken on different days, with Jill Biden in Washington, D.C., on July 24 and in Paris on July 25. Despite lacking evidence to support its claim, the misleading post received over 100 likes. Verification from multiple sources, including PolitiFact, confirmed that Jill Biden was not in two places simultaneously. This incident underscores the need for careful evaluation of social media content to prevent the spread of misinformation.
