A claim began circulating online, primarily on X, involving President Joe Biden stepping onto an airplane after a landmark prisoner swap with Russia in earlier this week. The swap involved the release of three Americans: WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Russian-American editor Alsu Kurmasheva.
The three arrived in the United States by plane, landing at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland just before midnight on August 1. Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, family members, press representatives, and others were present to welcome them as they got off the plane. Since then, the claim about Biden boarding the empty plane has gone viral.
What Really Happened
A few minutes after Gershkovich, Whelan, and Kurmasheva disembarked from the plane, and after Biden and Harris answered questions from reporters, Biden climbed the aircraft steps. About two minutes later, he came down from the plane and resumed talking with …