Is PM Modi the first world leader to address the US Congress twice after Winston Churchill..?
Claim
This is called a real royal invitation for a respected Diplomat…. After Winston Churchill, Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India is the only Second World leader who is given this honour for second time..
Rating
Explanation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in New York for a three-day state visit on June 21. During the visit, he addressed the Joint session of the US Congress on Thursday (June 22) in Washington. That same day, US President Biden invited Modi for a state dinner.
Usually, the purpose of a Joint Meeting (comprising the House of Representatives and the Senate) has been for Congress to hear an address from an important foreign leader. This practice became a standard part of foreign leaders’ state visits to the United States after 1945.
Meanwhile, viral messages on social media claimed that PM Modi will be the first world leader to address the US Congress twice after Winston Churchill. Some of such claims can be seen here and here.
This is called a real royal invitation for a respected Diplomat…. 👏🇮🇳
After Winston Churchill, Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India is the only Second World leader who is given this honour for second time 🇮🇳💐👏 pic.twitter.com/QLIg18loHH— Rknaidu (@Rknaidu40052938) June 21, 2023
This is called a real royal invitation for a respected Diplomat…. 👏🇮🇳 After Winston Churchill, Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India is the only Second World leader who is given this honour for second time 🇮🇳💐👏 pic.twitter.com/A9fUxQSCT1
— SatvikHindu (@Satviksunil2) June 22, 2023
What is the truth?
When searching with relevant keywords, we found that PM Modi is not the first leader to address the US Congress twice after Winston Churchill.
According to House historical records, It is found that Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Benyamin Netanyahu, and Vlodomyr Zelensky too addressed the US Congress multiple times.
“Your historic address to a Joint Meeting of Congress seven years ago left a lasting impact and greatly deepened the friendship between the United States and India. As you said in that address: Our relationship is primed for a momentous future. The constraints of the past are behind us and the foundations of the future are firmly in place. We look forward to paving the way for greater collaboration between our countries in the years to come.” Congress of the United States leaders wrote in a letter to Modi. It can be seen below.
We further searched and the results led us to know that the former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill addressed US Congress three times: in 1941, 1943, and 1952. Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa, addressed the joint session twice: in 1990 and 1994. First time as the Deputy president of the African National Congress. For the Second time as the President of Africa.
As Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has addressed Congress three times over a two-decade span. He first spoke in 1996, and then in 2011 and 2015 after returning to power. Ukraine’s incumbent president Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed it formally on December 21, 2022, and also he had an informal meeting with it on March 16, 2022.
Read More: What to takeaway from Modi’s US visit?
Conclusion:
After examination, it has come to know that Modi is not the only world leader since Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Benyamin Netanyahu, and Vlodomyr Zelensky too addressed the US Congress multiple times. Therefore, it is a false claim. The image being shared along with the post is authentic.
Proof Links
