Biden to Trump: 'When? Inshallah?'

Hind Khoudary

Politics

30th September 2020

Biden used inshallah sarcastically(GettyImages).

The Claim

Joe Biden said "inshallah" in the US presidential debate.

News posted on

Danny Hajjar داني حجار

Ali Harb

ya.ya

Wajahat "Butter King" Ali

🦋

Emerging story

After the US presidential debate, social media users had their own debate on whether former Vice President Joe Biden used the Islamic term “Inshallah” with President Donald Trump.

And here it is - Joe Biden saying "inshallah" pic.twitter.com/AYORHCXCcO
— Ali Harb (@Harbpeace) September 30, 2020

Biden dropped an "Inshallah" at the debate. pic.twitter.com/DLrGWR3eGb
— Waleed Shahid (@_waleedshahid) September 30, 2020

Some users said he said, "When, in July?”

Others claimed he said, “When it’s the law.”

Misbar’s Analysis

Misbar's investigation found the claims circulating true. Despite the fact that we didn’t find the word “inshallah” in the debate’s script, Biden’s campaign confirmed to NPR that it was true.

Okay, for those of you wondering - did Joe Biden really drop an “inshallah” with the appropriate sarcastic usage?

Yes, he did. I confirmed with his campaign - that is indeed what the man said. https://t.co/MqseBsl2Ck
— Asma Khalid (@asmamk) September 30, 2020

Biden used "inshallah" sarcastically, responding to Trump on his taxes.
Al Jazeera posted the clip with the transcript:

When Trump said “you’ll get to see” his federal income taxes, Biden asked “When? Inshallah?" #Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/mAdvARGJtz
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 30, 2020

According to the Washington Post, Biden had in fact used the phrase — which literally and seriously means “God willing” in Arabic and Farsi — but can also take on a sharp, sardonic tenor that has led the writer Wajahat Ali to call it the “Arabic version of ‘fuggedaboudit.’”