Biden Did Not Fall Asleep at Maui Event, Video Shows

A blurry video led some to incorrectly believe President Joe Biden fell asleep at an event in Maui. 

The Details: Social media users circulated the video (link) on social media, with some, including the RNC, suggesting the video showed Biden falling asleep. C-SPAN video (link) of the event shows Biden bowing his head for a few seconds while his eyes remain open.

For Context: The video fed into narratives, particularly among Biden’s opponents, that his age makes him less aware and less fit to serve as president; The Post Millennial (Lean Right bias) called the story “a new display that really is quite familiar.” Biden also received criticism when he said he had “no comment” about the Maui fires on August 13. Biden and first lady Jill Biden left their vacation in Lake Tahoe to visit Maui on Monday. 

How the Media Covered It: Many left- and center-rated fact-checkers moved to debunk the claim that Biden fell asleep. Some right-rated sources first reported that Biden appeared to fall asleep, before updating their coverage later. The Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) added a correction to its story stating that the previous version "did not include C-SPAN footage that showed President Joe Biden with his eyes open."