President Joe Biden repeated a false claim that he used to drive tractor trailers.
During an event on Monday, Biden delivered remarks on a trucking action plan to help strengthen the supply chain.
With the cabs of Mack trucks parked on the White House lawn, Biden said, “I used to drive a truck. It’s a long story.”
He continued, “I thought I was going to get to drive one of these suckers today.”
Watch the video below:
Biden repeats false claim he used to be a truck driver pic.twitter.com/8V95O265IW
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 4, 2022
Later in the event, Biden went on to speak about his administration’s effort to limit the amount of time it takes to launch new apprenticeship programs to bring new employees into the workforce.
“What that all adds up to is a strong foundation for the work ahead: a pipeline of hardworking men and women from all backgrounds, highly trained and highly motivated to get behind the wheel, including a whole lot of veterans, thanks to the veterans trucking initiative known as ‘Taskforce Movement,'” he said.
The president added, “I’d say, parenthetically: If you can handle a tank, if you can handle an armored personnel carrier, you sure in hell can handle one of these suckers.”
He then returned to his claim that he drove tractor trailers in the past.
“I remember — I’m going to just digress for one second. I got a commercial license because my dad used to run an automobile agency,” Biden said.
He added, “And I used to have to go up to the body shop up in Philadelphia from Wilmington. And when they’d order a trailer or a cab, I’d just — they’d sell the cab. And so, I had to have a licensed to be able to drive it up and back.”
This was not the first time the president has claimed he had a history of being a truck driver.
During an event in Pennsylvania in July, Biden stated, “I used to drive an 18-wheeler, man.”
However, he later clarified that he “got to” drive a truck.
Last July while visiting the Mack Truck manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania, Biden claimed “I used to drive an 18-wheeler”
Biden’s staff later admitted that he had only ever been photographed in one pic.twitter.com/PVr3xQnKhI
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 4, 2022
At the time, a White House spokesperson was asked for evidence to back up the president’s claim and provided an example from 1973 of when Biden rode in a tractor trailer.
And in November, Biden said, “I used to drive a tractor trailer, so I know a little bit about driving big trucks.”
“I only did it for part of a summer, but I got my license anyway,” he added.
But the fact-checking outlet PolitiFact has rated his claim that he drove trucks false.
According to the site, “There is no record that he did, and his comments in the past suggest that at most, he was given the chance to drive one at some point.”
“His reference to a summer job suggests that he was referring to his time as a bus driver, not a truck driver,” it added.
