President Joe Biden declared a federal emergency and deployed the National Guard in October.
Stand up for the facts!
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.
I would like to contribute
Old video about emergency declaration in Vermont stirs online anxiety
If Your Time is short
-
This video is about an emergency declaration in Vermont after heavy rains and flooding in July; we found no evidence that President Joe Biden declared a national emergency in October and deployed the National Guard as a result.
An Oct. 14 Facebook post utilizes all-caps to relay what feels like breaking news: "BIDEN declares FEDERAL EMERGENCY NAT. GUARD DEPLOYED — IT’S TOO LATE TO LEAVE!"
But the video in the post is several months old.
It was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
The video features doomsday prepper Patrick Humphrey, whose YouTube channel regularly publishes false or misleading videos that stoke fear about wide-scale disaster.
Featured Fact-check
Humphrey first posted the video on YouTube in July.
In it, he discusses Biden’s declaration that month of a state of emergency in Vermont, which was then experiencing heavy rainfall and flooding.
A couple of days later, the Vermont National Guard delivered water to communities affected by the floods.
More recently, Biden has declared emergencies in Guam, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Florida and South Carolina, but we found no evidence that he’s declared a national emergency, as the Facebook post suggests, or has dispatched the National Guard to locations where people aren’t allowed to leave. We rate that claim False.
Our Sources
Facebook post, Oct. 14, 2023
YouTube, BIDEN declares FEDERAL EMERGENCY ⚠️ NAT. GUARD DEPLOYED -"IT'S TOO LATE TO LEAVE!"| Patrick Humphrey, July 11, 2023
ABC News, Vermont overwhelmed by 'catastrophic' flooding as Northeast braces for more rain, July 11, 2023
PBS NewsHour, USDA designates July flooding in Vermont a disaster, making farmers eligible for emergency loans, Sept. 5, 2023
The White House, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Vermont Emergency Declaration, July 11, 2023
Vermont National Guard, Vermont National Guard Delivers Water as Part of Flood Relief, July 17, 2023
Browse the Truth-O-Meter
More by Ciara O'Rourke
Old video about emergency declaration in Vermont stirs online anxiety
Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!
In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.