Joe Biden’s White House has been slammed after it posted pictures of what appear to be US special forces troops with the President in Israel.
Although the photo was quickly deleted, users on X slammed Biden’s team for what was branded a dangerous mistake that could potentially compromise US troops in Israel following a major Hamas terrorist attack.
The photo – posted on Instagram – showed Joe Biden shaking hands with one operator while other soldiers were present. The faces of the troops were unblurred.
Some on social media claimed the post was viewed by hundreds of thousands of people before being deleted – the official White House account has 7.6 million followers.
The caption on the original post said: “In Israel, President Biden met with first responders to thank them for their bravery and the work they’re doing in response to the Hamas terrorist attacks.”
During a Department of Defense briefing on Thursday, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder was asked whether the soldiers were part of US special forces and whether there was a policy against photographing them.
He said: “I’d have to refer you to the White House on that. I just don’t have any to provide. Thank you.”
Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin confirmed the blunder Thursday afternoon posting: “NEW: The White House admits they accidentally doxxed US Special Forces by posting an uncensored photo of them w/ Biden in Israel.”
He also posted the White House’s statement: “As soon as this was brought to our attention, we immediately deleted the photo. We regret the error and any issues this may have caused.”
Doxxing refers to the act of revealing an individual’s true identity online.
Users on X slammed the foul-up. Military veteran and bestselling author Sean Parnell said: “Holy God. Biden doxed Delta. This without question puts a target on them and their families.”
There is no confirmation that the soldiers are from the Army’s elite Delta Force tasked with carrying out the most dangerous, covert and complex missions. The troops in the photos were wearing US uniforms.
Fox News contributor Sara A. Carter posted: “Is the White House really this stupid or are they just trying to get people targeted? This is totally unacceptable…
“These operators are required to maintain a level of discretion that this administration has completely disregarded. I would know, my husband is a retired operator.”
She added: “They are elite trained fighters and something as simple as facial ID recognition is putting them in direct threat by adversaries. How did this happen White House?”
