Did Joe Biden Say He Was in the Military?

President Joe Biden’s propensity for gaffes and forgetfulness was brought into sharp focus following comments made by Special Counsel Robert Hur, who characterized him as an “elderly man” with a “poor memory” who couldn’t remember when his son died or when he was vice president.

Hur’s comments, part of a report into Biden’s mishandling of classified documents, were angrily rejected by the president and the White House. GOP rivals heralded the report’s observations as proof of why Biden should not be reelected.

In comments made at a rally in South Carolina, Donald Trump alleged Biden had told “lies” about his abilities elsewhere, claiming the president had wrongly boasted how he had been in the military, a pilot, and a truck driver.

The Claim

At a rally in North Charleston, South Carolina, on February 14, 2024, Donald Trump said: “Do you ever notice, pilots come in and he (Biden) said he flew planes, truckers came in he says he (inaudible), military come in he says I was in the military, well they’re all lies.”

Trump later added that Biden lied that “he flies and he drives trucks.”

The Facts

Newsweek could not find any record of Biden saying he was in the military or that he was a pilot.

During the Vietnam War era, Biden received five student draft deferments, according to Selective Service System records that the then-vice presidential candidate released in 2008.

He got the deferments as an undergraduate at the University of Delaware and later when he was a law student at Syracuse University, graduating in 1968.

Later that year, Biden—like Donald Trump, who had bone spurs in his heels—received a 1-Y classification following a medical exam. Examiners confirmed his history of asthma. The classification meant he could be drafted only in a national emergency.

His late son Beau served in Iraq for a year in 2008 as a member of the Delaware National Guard, including a seven-month deployment in a combat zone.

A member of the 261st Signal Brigade, Beau was awarded the Bronze Star for his service and was posthumously awarded both the Legion of Merit and the Delaware Conspicuous Service Cross, which is “awarded for heroism, meritorious service and outstanding achievement.”

While Biden has wrongly suggested that Beau died in Iraq, there is no evidence Biden ever claimed his own military service record.

There is no evidence that Biden has laid claim to being a pilot. Given the intense scrutiny Biden faces, particularly over his gaffes, any claim to having flown aircraft would have undoubtedly been a matter of public record and ridicule.

Newsweek has contacted media representatives for Donald Trump via email for comment.

There is some basis of truth to one of Trump’s allegations, however, over Biden’s claim to have driven a truck, more specifically, an 18-wheeler. In 2021, Biden said he “used to drive an 18-wheeler,” appearing to refer to a time in 1973 when he rode 500 miles in a “47,000 pound cargo truck.”

Fact-checkers Snopes ruled Biden’s claim was false, finding no evidence that Biden had driven the 18-wheeler during that trip and no record showing he worked as a truck driver. Newsweek was unable to find any other evidence to support Biden’s claim and has contacted a White House media representative via email for comment.

The Ruling

False.

Newsweek could find no record of Joe Biden ever saying that he was in the military or that he was a pilot.

During the Vietnam War era, Biden received five student draft deferments. Examiners confirmed his history of asthma. The classification meant he could be drafted only in a national emergency.

FACT CHECK BY Newsweek’s Fact Check team