A video clip in which U.S. President Joe Biden 'appears' to be sleeping during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has gone viral on social media. #SleepyJoe was one of the top trending topics on Twitter.
Among those who accused Biden of nodding off mid-meeting were Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) who demanded the removal of the U.S. President from the White House.
Bennett Was Stressing on U.S-Israel Bond
The 21-second video shows Bennett looking towards Biden and speaking about the bond between the two countries. The two world leaders were addressing the reporters in the Oval Office following their meeting, on Friday.
"You and I are going to write yet another chapter in the beautiful story of the friendship between our two nations, the United States of America, and the Jewish and democratic state of Israel," said Bennett.
"Both of us who seek to do good and need to be strong, both of us who are a lighthouse in a very, very stormy world. Thank you, Mr. President, I look forward to working with you now and for many years forward. Thank you," the Israeli Prime Minister is heard saying in the video.
However, what caught the netizens attention was the posture adopted by the U.S. President who sat almost motionless with his hands folded and head slightly bowed down.
Was Joe Biden Really Sleeping During the Meeting?
The viral clip was started the trend #SleepyJoe on Twitter. "And why would Joe Biden be looking down like that while the PM of Israel is speaking if not asleep? ....he's sleeping..... sleepy Joe," tweeted a user.
"Joe Biden fell asleep w/meeting with Israel's leader. The dude was out and people are mad because a reporter recorded it. Our country is being destroyed because of ideologues & party loyalists. Theyre in denial about Sleepy Joe and its going to cost more lives," wrote another user.
"Oh no.... how can this be. The MP of #Israel looks towards @JoeBiden speeking great words and Sleepy Joe doesn't look back... in fact it seems he's sleeping!!!" read a tweet.
However, debunking the viral claim, CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale, claimed that Biden wasn't 'sleeping' during the meeting.
"This "Biden asleep" stuff is nonsense. Full vid https://youtu.be/fw3f8WWYhrw?t=430...shows: 1) Biden talking; 2) Biden looking at Bennett; 3) Biden looking downward, his hands moving, starting right when Bennett mentioned this week's "difficult days"; 4) Biden immediately replying to Bennett," Dale tweeted.
Lambasting The Post Millennial for pushing the claim through a tweet, the CNN reporter added, "The Post Millennial, a right-wing site from my home and native Canada, has been involved in spreading a bunch of inaccurate-but-viral narratives about US politics."
