Did Joe Biden crap himself at the Vatican
Executive summary
The viral claim that President Joe Biden “crapped himself” during a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican is false: multiple fact‑checks found no evidence and traced the story to social‑media trolling and misinterpreted images and timing [1] [2]. Despite repeated circulation on blogs, talk shows and partisan sites, reporters who reviewed video and primary materials found no proof that Biden soiled his clothing during the visit [1] [2].
1. The claim and how it spread
The allegation first gained traction as snarky posts and hashtags—#PoopypantsBiden and similar—after the October 2021 Vatican meeting, with social posts claiming Biden had a “bathroom accident” that prolonged the visit and even sharing altered photos and memes to bolster the rumor [2] [3] [4]. The theme metastasized across fringe forums, radio segments, and tabloid outlets, which amplified an unverified anecdote repeated as “word around Rome” rather than evidence‑based reporting [5] [6] [7].
2. What independent fact‑checks concluded
Serious fact‑checking organizations reviewed the footage and documentation and concluded the poop claim is unfounded: PolitiFact found the viral photos did not show a suit change and that video demonstrates Biden wore the same suit throughout the meeting, undermining one key piece of “evidence” used by the rumor [1]. Snopes conducted a detailed review of the timeline and social posts and likewise rated the story false, identifying the episode as a recycled political smear rather than a documented incident [2].
3. Why the rumor persisted despite debunking
The story fit a familiar political‑attack template—ridicule of an older president’s fitness—and that made it primed for virality; partisan operatives, trolls and entertainment outlets repeatedly recycled the narrative because it generated engagement, not because new corroborating facts emerged [3] [6]. Repetition on radio shows, message boards and tabloid pages kept the meme alive long after fact‑checkers had explained the lack of evidence [7] [8].
4. What the public record and video actually show
Video of the Vatican meeting posted by outlets such as C‑SPAN shows Biden wearing the same suit and tie throughout the encounter, undermining the claim that he changed clothes mid‑visit because of a soiling incident; fact‑checkers used that footage to refute the signaled “evidence” [1]. There are no verified photographs, medical records, eyewitness statements from credible journalists, or official Vatican or White House confirmations supporting the allegation in the reportage examined [1] [2].
5. Motives, media behavior and implicit agendas
The circulation pattern—originating with snide social posts and amplified by partisan pundits and sensational outlets—points to motives of ridicule, political undermining, and attention‑seeking rather than reporting; outlets like The Sun and gossip sites prioritized viral appeal over verification, while mainstream fact‑checkers focused on debunking the falsehood [3] [6] [2]. That divergence reveals an implicit agenda in parts of the media ecosystem to weaponize embarrassments against political figures, regardless of evidentiary standards [8].
6. Bottom line
There is no credible evidence that Joe Biden “crapped himself” at the Vatican; major fact‑checks and primary video contradict the viral claims and show the rumor is part of a pattern of social‑media smear and tabloid amplification rather than an incident documented by reliable sources [1] [2]. Reporting is limited to the available sources: if new, verifiable evidence were to surface it would merit reassessment, but based on the documentation reviewed the claim is false.