An image shows President Joe Biden touching Olivia Rodrigo’s shoulders during a White House press briefing.
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White House press secretary Jen Psaki looks at teen pop star Olivia Rodrigo during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Rodrigo is at the White House to film a video to promote vaccines. (AP)
Joe Biden, Olivia Rodrigo did not appear in press briefing together with Jen Psaki
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• Biden did not attend the press briefing with Olivia Rodrigo. The photo was manipulated.
Teen singer and actress Olivia Rodrigo visited the White House on July 14 to encourage younger Americans to get the COVID-19 vaccination. During her visit, she recorded videos for a social media push, met with President Joe Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci, and dropped in on a White House press briefing.
Rodrigo’s White House appearance sparked plenty of news headlines, fashion analysis and memes. But one manipulated photo on social media gave us déjà vu, because it was altered to make Biden look creepy.
The photo came from Rodrigo’s drop-in at a White House press briefing with press secretary Jen Psaki, which lasted just a few minutes.
In reality, Biden wasn’t there. But someone out there decided to photoshop Biden into the picture behind Rodrigo, squeezing her shoulders as Psaki looked on.
"Psaki face says it all," a Facebook user wrote July 15.
The photo was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
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Here’s a legitimate photo of Rodrigo and Psaki from the press briefing. (Here's a video.)
Biden wasn’t in the room. The "Drivers License" singer and the president met in a closed setting, later releasing this image from the Oval Office putting on aviators.
"Thanks for stopping by, Olivia, and for using your voice to urge young people to get vaccinated," reads the caption from the POTUS Instagram account.
The photo of Biden in the manipulated image appears to be lifted from a swearing-in ceremony for former Defense Secretary Ash Carter in 2015. His wife, Stephanie Carter, said Biden was squeezing her shoulders in support because she was "uncharacteristically nervous," and the photo had been misconstrued.
We rate this viral image Pants on Fire!
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Our Sources
Facebook post, July 15
Associated Press image of July 14 press briefing, accessed via subscription
PBS NewsHour YouTube, "Pop star Olivia Rodrigo joins Jen Psaki during White House press briefing," July 14
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Joe Biden, Olivia Rodrigo did not appear in press briefing together with Jen Psaki
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