The pro-Russian sources systematically spread disinformation about countries and world leaders that support Ukraine against Russian military aggression. This time, they published a post saying that, on 6 December 2019, the CNBC channel interviewed not a real Joe Biden but the person in a mask that imitates his face. Our fact-checkers figured out what’s wrong with this post.

What happened

From 13 to 14 June, pro-Russian Telegram channels, such as “Olesia Loseva” (Олеся Лосева), “Sania vo Floride/Sania in Florida” (Саня во Флориде), “Zanoza” spread the fragment of the interview with Joe Biden from 6 December 2019 noting the difference between the colors of Biden’sBiden’s face and neck.  

“He is suspiciously active! Is this Biden, or just a person in a mask telling something? Look at the neck,” the post said.

Other users on X, Instagram, YouTube, Vkontakte, and other websites have also spread this information (1, 2, 3).

Analysis

John Harwood conducted this interview on 5 December 2019 during Biden’sBiden’s election campaign. CNBC posted the full video on its website and YouTube channel the next day.

The footage clearly shows Joe Biden’sBiden’s natural facial expressions and body language. The color difference is caused by the shadow of his shirt collar, resulting from the very bright light directed at the U.S. president’s face. 

This is evident from the fact that as Biden’s head and body position change throughout the video, the shadow on his neck alters in contour and intensity and also periodically disappears when light falls on that area, so it’s definitely not the AI-based deep fake or a person in a mask.

This skin shadow from the shirt is also visible on Biden’s interviewer, Harwood.

On 5 December, Biden also spoke at the Chickasaw Event Center in Iowa, as evidenced by photos and videos from international media (1, 2). These visuals show Biden in the same clothes as in the interview, proving the inaccuracy of pro-Russian messages.  

It is worth noting that fact-checkers at Reuters have already debunked the fakes about this 2019 interview with Joe Biden in 2020 and 2021. These messages have been systematically spread online to discredit the U.S. President.

Conclusion: Fake.