Fact check: False claim that Biden employed crisis actors to portray Marines during Sept. 1 speech

Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY
·4 min read
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The claim: Biden employed crisis actors to portray Marines during Sept. 1 speech

President Joe Biden delivered a prime-time speech in Philadelphia on Sept. 1 in which he said former President Donald Trump and his supporters "are determined to take this country backwards."

Two uniformed Marines standing at attention were visible in the background of the speech, which sparked debate about the politicization of the military.

A Facebook video shared Sept. 3 claims the Marines are actually crisis actors hired by Biden. "Biden Hires Crisis Actors to Portray U.S. Marines," reads the video's caption.

"Crisis actor" is a term commonly used by conspiracy theorists when falsely accusing people of being paid actors in times of tragedy and disaster.

The Facebook post generated over 40,000 views and 1,200 interactions in less than a week. The Real Raw News story was shared in Facebook groups with hundreds of members.

The video cites a Sept. 3 article from Real Raw News, which bases its claim on information purportedly received from an unnamed source in Marine Corp Gen. David Berger’s office.

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But the claim is baseless. The figures standing behind Biden were not paid actors, but rather real Marines, according to a White House official. The original source of the claim, Real Raw News, is a website that publishes fabricated stories, many of which USA TODAY has debunked.

USA TODAY reached out to the social media users who shared the claim for comment.

Marines were not crisis actors

There is no truth to the claim that Biden employed crisis actors to portray U.S. Marines during his Sept. 1 speech, according to a White House official.

"The presence of Marines at the speech was intended to demonstrate the deep and abiding respect the president has for their service to these ideals and the unique role our independent military plays in defending our democracy, no matter which party is in power," the spokesperson told USA TODAY in an emailed statement.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also said in a Sept. 2 press briefing that it was normal for presidents to give speeches in front of members of the military.

When contacted for comment, the Marine Corps referred USA TODAY to the White House.

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Real Raw News has previously published fabricated stories about the Marine Corps and high-profile figures, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Dr. Anthony Fauci. A disclaimer found on the site’s “About Us” page states it “contains humor, parody, and satire.” The notice, however, is not included in the website’s articles.

PolitiFact and Reuters also debunked the claim.

Our rating: False

Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that Biden employed crisis actors to portray Marines during his Sept. 1 speech. The White House confirmed the Marines behind Biden were real. The claim originates from Real Raw News, a website that publishes fabricated stories.

Our fact-check sources:

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Real Marines were present during Biden's Sept. 1 speech