Even Snopes Fact Checks Biden – “Trump Revitalized It In 2017”

Joe Biden and Donald Trump have always had a tense relationship, with Biden being critical of many of Trump’s policies when he was in office. However, during a recent overseas trip, Biden was caught trying to take credit for one of Trump’s most significant accomplishments – the revitalization of the Quad alliance in 2017. Even fact-checking website Snopes agrees that Trump was responsible for the Quad’s revival, and that Biden’s claims about his role in the process were inaccurate.

What is the Quad alliance?

Before delving into the details of Biden’s statements, it’s important to understand what the Quad alliance is and why it matters. The Quad is an informal strategic alliance between the United States, Japan, Australia, and India. The alliance was created to strengthen cooperation on regional security issues in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.

The Quad originated in 2007 when then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe proposed the idea of an alliance between the four countries. However, the alliance was not formalized at the time, and it remained dormant for several years.

Trump’s role in revitalizing the Quad

In 2017, President Donald Trump breathed new life into the Quad by pushing for closer cooperation between the four countries. At the time, the Trump administration was concerned about the rising influence of China in the Indo-Pacific region and saw the Quad as a way to counter China’s growing power.

Under Trump’s leadership, the Quad held its first official meeting in more than a decade in November 2017. During the meeting, the leaders of the four countries issued a joint statement pledging to work together on a range of issues, including maritime security and economic development.

The revitalization of the Quad was seen as a significant victory for the Trump administration, which had been criticized for its stance on China in the past. Trump’s efforts to strengthen ties between the United States and other Asian countries were seen as a way to counterbalance China’s growing power in the region and cement America’s role as a key player in the Indo-Pacific.

Biden’s attempt to take credit

During a recent overseas trip, Biden attempted to take credit for the Quad’s revival, claiming that he had played a key role in bringing the alliance back to life. Speaking to reporters, Biden said, “I doubt many people in this audience or any other audience would have said that two years after being elected, I’d be able to convince India, Australia, Japan, and the United States to form an organization called the Quad to maintain stability in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.”

This statement immediately drew criticism from those who knew that the Quad had been revitalized under Trump’s leadership in 2017. Even Snopes, a fact-checking website known for its liberal bias, confirmed that Trump was responsible for the Quad’s revival and that Biden’s claims were false.

Snopes stated that the Quad was “revitalized” by Trump in 2017 and that it gained “further momentum” under the Biden administration. The fact-checking website noted that Biden’s claim that he had convinced the Quad countries to form the alliance was inaccurate and that the Quad had been established more than a decade ago.

Biden’s history of misrepresentations

Biden’s attempt to take credit for the Quad’s revival is not the first time he has been caught misrepresenting the truth. Throughout his political career, Biden has been known for telling tall tales and exaggerating his accomplishments. In fact, he once admitted that he had “a bad habit of saying whatever pops into my head.”

One of Biden’s most notorious misrepresentations came during his 1988 presidential campaign, when he was caught plagiarizing portions of a speech given by British politician Neil Kinnock. Biden had lifted entire sections of Kinnock’s speech without attribution, leading to accusations of plagiarism and calls for him to drop out of the race.

Biden has also been caught fabricating stories about his personal history, such as his claim that he was “shot at” during a trip to Iraq in 2007. While the story garnered widespread media attention, it was later revealed to be false.

Conclusion

Biden’s attempt to take credit for the Quad’s revival is a prime example of his tendency to misrepresent the truth. While it’s true that the Quad has gained momentum under the Biden administration, it’s clear that the alliance was revitalized under Trump’s leadership in 2017. This type of false claim is part of a pattern of misrepresentations that Biden has exhibited throughout his political career. As the current President, Biden must strive to be accurate and truthful in his public statements and avoid taking credit for other people’s accomplishments.