FACT CHECK: Did Joe Biden Fake Driving A Ford Electric Truck?

An image shared on Facebook claims that President Joe Biden faked driving an electric Ford truck and that someone else drove it.

Verdict: False

Video shows that there were not two steering wheels in the electric truck and that Biden was indeed driving. A Ford spokesperson also confirmed there was only one steering wheel.

Fact Check:

Biden recently visited Ford’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, where he promoted his infrastructure plan, which includes a $174 billion investment in the electric vehicle market, The Detroit News reported. While at the electric vehicle plant, he also took a spin in a Ford F-150 Lightning truck.

Since then, some social media users have been sharing a screen grab of a Gateway Pundit article that alleges Biden did not actually drive the electric truck. The headline of the screen grabbed article reads, “WOW! Biden Caught Fake Driving – Someone Else Is Steering Vehicle – It Was All a Stunt! VIDEO and PICS.” (RELATED: Did Joe Biden Sign 96 Executive Orders In 100 Days?)

Biden did not fake driving the Ford electric truck, contrary to what the image claims. A video taken by the Associated Press shows there was not a steering wheel on the passenger side where the other man, who was identified by the Detroit Free Press as a Secret Service agent, was sitting. The object visible on the dashboard near the Secret Service agent appears to be a camera, a review of C-SPAN and Associated Press footage found.

Melissa Miller, a spokesperson for Ford, told Check Your Fact in an email there was “only one steering wheel in the vehicle the President drove on Tuesday.” Ford North America Product Communications Manager Mike Levine also told Jalopnik there was “no other set of controls.”

The Detroit Free Press reported White House staff told the Ford team the night before Biden’s visit there was a possibility that the president may do a test drive but nothing concrete. Mark Truby, the global head of Ford communications, described it as a “game time decision,” according to the outlet.

“All the media was there. And the whole presidential motorcade. We’ve never had the presidential motorcade at our test track before,” Ford CEO Jim Farley told the Detroit Free Press. “I think all our team members were kind of stunned to see the president of the United States come to the test track. We didn’t really have any warning.”

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases