Biden's False Football Claim at West Point: 'Fundamentally Not True'

President Biden's claim that his son, Beau, played football at West Point during his commencement speech on Saturday drew criticism from several quarters, including former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz.

President Biden's speech at the West Point commencement ceremony on Saturday drew criticism from several quarters, including former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, who called the president's claim that his son, Beau, played football at the academy "fundamentally not true."

In a Fox News interview on Sunday, Chaffetz said, "President Biden's claim that his son played football at West Point is simply not true. Beau Biden attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he played football."

Chaffetz's comments echoed those of several other critics, including New York Post columnist and Fox News contributor Miranda Devine, who wrote in a column on Sunday that "Biden's claim that his son played football at West Point was a 'Jeb Bush moment,' a reference to the former Florida governor's infamous 2000 presidential campaign gaffe in which he confused two different stories.

Biden's false claim about his son's football career was not the only misstatement he made in his speech. He also claimed that he had been "the first president to address the West Point graduating class since Harry Truman." However, former President Donald Trump addressed the class in 2019.

Biden's speech was also criticized for its political tone. He used the occasion to criticize Republicans and defend his policies.

"We're in a battle for the soul of America," Biden said. "We're in a battle between those who believe in democracy and those who don't. We're in a battle between those who believe in truth and those who don't."

Biden's critics accused him of using the commencement speech to score political points.

"Biden's speech was a partisan diatribe that had no place at a military academy," said Republican National Committee spokeswoman Emma Vaughn.

The White House defended Biden's speech, saying that he was "speaking from the heart."

"The president was sharing his personal experiences and what he believes are the core values of our country," said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

However, Biden's critics argued that his speech was more about his own political agenda than about the graduating cadets.

"Biden's speech was a missed opportunity to inspire the next generation of military leaders," said Chaffetz. "He could have used the occasion to talk about the importance of duty, honor, and country. Instead, he used it to push his own political agenda."