Tree of Life synagogue says Biden's claim of visiting them after 2018 attack is false

Joe Biden told a group of Jewish leaders that he visited Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue, but staff there say that’s not true.

For context, today President Biden hosted a "Jewish High Holidays Virtual Call," published to the White House YouTube channel. The timing being that people who celebrate that particular faith are observing Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur this month.

It was there that Biden brought up going to the Tree of Life synagogue.

"I remember spending time at the, you know, going to the, you know, the Tree of Life synagogue, speaking with them," is what he said.

(For context, the remark happened at the 12:50 mark of the White House’s video. The only other thing he said leading up to that is that Biden noted how hate can’t be defeated, instead it just hides itself.)

In a telephone interview with New York Post, Tree of Life executive director Barb Feige told the outlet that Biden has never stopped by in the nearly three years since the October 2018 shootings.

The outlet asked the White House for comment but they currently haven't responded.

The President also used the conference call to remark on his own faith.

"I happen to be a practicing Catholic and one of the things I like about my pope today is that he’s all about renewal and forgiveness […] and I hope I’m going to get to see him in the not too distant future," Joe Biden said.

The timing of this comment comes as the White House stance today came out against the anti-abortion law coming into effect in Texas.

Other media commentary notes how the President trailed off on a tangent, recalling the wedding of his daughter. Ashley Biden married a Jewish surgeon and so the wedding had both a Rabbi and a Catholic priest in attendance.