President Joe Biden took a swipe at former President Donald Trump over the hostages released Thursday from Russia, and CNN’s Dana Bash called his jab “a mic-drop moment” — but it was all a lie.

During a press event to discuss the release of four hostages — Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Marine veteran Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza — Biden was prompted by Reuters’ Andrea Shalal to respond to former President Donald Trump’s claim that he would get the hostages released if reelected in November.

“Why didn’t he do it when he was president?” Biden asked.

Bash responded to Biden’s jab during CNN’s coverage of the moment, saying, “I think that was what they call a ‘mic drop’ moment.”

Reporter: “President Trump has said repeatedly that he could have gotten the hostages out without giving anything in exchange. What do you say to that?” @POTUS: “Why didn’t he do it when he was president?”@DanaBashCNN: “I think that was what they call a ‘mic drop’ moment.” pic.twitter.com/MIUKa5LpBa

— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) August 1, 2024

But as many were quick to point out, it would not have been possible for Trump to secure the release of those four hostages because only one of them — Whelan, who was arrested in 2018 — was actually being held in Russia during his presidency. The other three have all been detained since Biden took office in January of 2021.

“I, too, would like to know why Trump didn’t take action on something that happened after he left the White House,” one critic posted.

I, too, would like to know why Trump didn’t take action on something that happened after he left the White House. https://t.co/kOKhUGpa40

— Varad Mehta (@varadmehta) August 1, 2024

“CNN’s Dana Bash said it was a ‘mic drop moment’ when Biden ended his press conference answering Trumps claim that he would have freed the prisoners. His ‘mic drop’ was ‘why didn’t he do it when he was President?’ Well, 75% of the people released weren’t imprisoned when Trump was president. So, that might explain the majority of the reason,” Stu Burguiere added.

CNN’s Dana Bash said it was a “mic drop moment” when Biden ended his press conference answering Trumps claim that he would have freed the prisoners. His “mic drop” was “why didn’t he do it when he was President?” Well, 75% of the people released weren’t imprisoned when Trump was…

— Stu Burguiere (@StuDoesAmerica) August 1, 2024