Fact Check: Biden Did NOT Cut Short Christmas Visit To Delaware

Planned Return

Did President Joe Biden cut short an expected Christmas stay in Delaware on December 19, 2024, to return to Washington? No, that's not true: According to an official White House news release dated December 15, 2024, Biden was scheduled to return to the White House on December 19, 2024. The schedule also showed that he and the first lady planned to visit families and patients at Children's National Hospital in Washington on December 20, 2024.

The claim appeared in a post on Threads (archived here) on December 19, 2024. It said:

🚨NEW: Kamala Harris just abruptly cancelled her planned trip to California and 'raced to the White House,' per reporters

Biden also just returned to DC, after being expected to stay in Delaware until after Christmas

Is something going on?

Here is what the post looked like at the time of writing:

(Source: Threads screenshot taken on Fri Dec 20 14:04:05 2024 UTC)

According to a December 15, 2024, White House "Week Ahead Guidance," the president and first lady were scheduled to leave the White House to go to Wilmington, Delaware, on December 17, 2024. The schedule also shows their planned return on the afternoon of December 19, 2024.

Here is the official news release of that schedule:

(Source: White House news release screenshot taken on Fri Dec 20 14:35:01 2024 UTC)

On December 18, 2024, the White House confirmed the original plan for the Bidens to return to Washington on December 19, 2024.

Here is that news release:

(Source: White House news release screenshot taken on Fri Dec 20 14:58:23 2024 UTC)

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