the president Joe Biden On Wednesday, he mischaracterized the circumstances of his uncle’s World War II death as his own criticized former President Donald Trump’s views on the military.
“He was shot in New Guinea and they never found the body because there used to be – there were really a lot of cannibals in that part of New Guinea,” said Ambrose J. Finnegan, Biden’s uncle.
However, US military rchords It does not mention the plane being shot down or discuss cannibalism in connection with Finnegan’s death.
“For unknown reasons, this aircraft was forced to land in trenches in the ocean off the northern coast of New Guinea,” the notes said. “Both engines failed at low altitude and the nose of the plane hit the water hard.”
It is noted that the three people who died in the accident have not been found.
White House spokesman Andrew Bates did not directly address the apparent misrepresentation. In a statement to NBC News, he noted that Biden is “proud of the uniformed service of his uncle, who lost his life when the military plane he was on crashed in the Pacific Ocean after takeoff near New Guinea.”
“The president emphasized the story of his uncle, who made a case for us to fulfill our ‘sacred obligation to equip the people we send to war and take care of them and their families when they come home,’ and reiterated that America’s veterans are ‘suckers’ or ‘losers,'” Bates said. added.
During his speeches, Biden contrasted his family’s military service with Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric about military members, such as Trump calling fallen soldiers “suckers” and “losers.” report In the Atlantic. Trump he denied makes those notes.
“‘Suckers’ and ‘shamers.’ This man does not deserve to be commander-in-chief for my son, my uncle,” Biden said. his speech.
Biden also often talks about his son Beau Biden served in the Delaware Army National Guard and deployed to Iraq. His son dead After battling brain cancer in 2015. Biden before incorrect statement He said he lost his son in “Iraq”, although he died in the US after returning home from military service. Biden also mischaracterized another uncle’s war record when he mischaracterized his uncle Frank’s attempt to give him a Purple Heart. FactCheck.org.