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Russian propaganda amplifies failed pro-Trump politician’s false claims about Joe Biden’s off-color remark in speech to NATO
The Insider
The Vremya program, broadcast on Russia’s leading state-run TV channel Perviy Kanal (lit. “Channel One”) has run a standalone news clip about U.S. President Joe Biden allegedly making an off-color remark about outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s wife.
The program broadcast a video clip that had been edited and spread on TikTok by unsuccessful pro-Trump politician J.R. Majewski, an Ohio Republican who lost a 2020 Congressional race after lying about his military service.
Here’s what Perviy Kanal had to say about the alleged gaffe:
“Better to slip with the foot than the tongue — Joe Biden's gaffe at the NATO summit has already gone viral. This is the Internet — and the comments can be quite scathing. Here’s one example:
- J. Biden: I realize… I was f*cking your wife.....
- Blogger: What?
- J.Biden: I was f*cking your wife…
- Blogger: If you’re anything like me, you’re probably wondering what the f*ck did Joe Biden just say? Let’s try that again.
- J.Biden: Mr. Secretary, you’ve guided this alliance through one of the most consequential periods in its history. I realize I — as I was f*cking your wife — I personally asked you to extend your service. Forgive me.
- Blogger: Joe Biden was speaking to members of NATO today in Washington, D.C. He let a few things loose, but this might be the worst. The intention was that Joe Biden would get to stand in front of world leaders and prove that he’s cognitively fit to serve as president of the U.S. What did he do? Well, he embarrassed us once again. Thanks, Joe. F*cking idiot.”
Contrary to the pro-Trump and Russian television versions, however, President Biden, known for his quiet voice and occasionally unclear diction, can be clearly heard saying the following at the NATO summit while awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to outgoing Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:
“Mr. Secretary, you’ve guided this alliance through one of the most consequential periods in its history. I realize I — as I was talking to your wife — I personally asked you to extend your service. (Laughs.) Forgive me. (Laughter.)”
YouTube's built-in speech recognition system has no trouble understanding these words, which is clear when subtitles are enabled. However, Majewski, followed by Perviy Kanal’s Vremya program, falsely claimed they heard Biden say an obscene verb — f*cking — instead of the word “talking.”
Majewski gained notoriety in 2022 during his Republican campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in Ohio. Shortly before election day, he used an ableist slur to compare his Democratic opponents to Special Olympics athletes, saying:
“Shout out to all the Democrats living in Mom's basement that like to talk sh*t on the Internet. You know, no matter how hard you try, arguing on the Internet, it's like being in the Special Olympics. No matter how good you perform, you still have… you're still f*cking retarded at the end of the day.”
After bipartisan criticism for using offensive language towards those with mental disabilities, Majewski dropped out of the race.
Majewski's decision to withdraw from the race came shortly after a super PAC, Ohio Truth PAC, began airing TV ads accusing him of “stolen valor” — a term used to describe someone misrepresenting their military service.