Biden Caught Pretending to Govern From ‘Fake White House’

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President Joe Biden held what looked like a White House meeting with business leaders and members of his cabinet Wednesday, but viewers of the televised portion noticed something odd about the setting.

SO WHAT

Critics are calling this the “Truman Show presidency.”

WHAT HAPPENED

Biden delivered public remarks and hosted the meeting about raising the debt limit from a flag-flanked wooden desk with a window view of flowers in bloom in the White House Rose Garden.

The White House live-streamed the meeting with its official branding, and CNN and other news outlets reported that the event took place at the White House.

When the camera zoomed out, however, it became clear that Biden and his interlocutors were actually on a presidential-themed set — the desk was not Resolute and the view was a digital projection.

  • A White House transcript subsequently confirmed the location as the Eisenhower Executive Office Building across the street from the White House, where the set was recently constructed for streaming events.
  • Biden’s Twitter account also shared a photo that made it clear the meeting took place on the set.
THE REACTION

Conservative commentators derided the president for governing from a “fake White House.”

Some expressed confusion.

Others saw the set as the latest act in “the Truman show presidency,” in which Biden is said to be stage-managed by his advisers.

  • “Fake President” trended on Twitter.
  • Stephen Miller, a senior adviser in former President Donald Trump’s White House, alleged in a tweet that Biden “uses this bizarre virtual set for televised meetings” because it makes it easier for him to discretely read from a teleprompter.
  • Charlie Sterling, Breitbart News’ White House correspondent, said the White House had not responded to his requests for comment.

SAME ENERGY

The presidential set first drew attention last week, when Biden received his COVID-19 booster shot there, and the Washington Post inaccurately reported he was at the White House.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and United Nation Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield have also used the set for events.

By We'll Do It Live