Band did not play ‘Hit the Road Jack’ outside the White House

THE FACTS: The audio in the video of the Army band's pre-inauguration rehearsal was altered. CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta posted the original video on Twitter on Monday, which showed the band actually playing “National Emblem,” an American march composed in 1902 and published in 1906.

Preps for Biden inaugural... you can hear the band playing on WH grounds. pic.twitter.com/8tBdFy1cDS

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 18, 2021

“Preps for Biden inaugural... you can hear the band playing on WH grounds,” Acosta tweeted, sharing a clip of the band’s rehearsal. The video was manipulated to insert the song “Hit the Road Jack” and it was shared widely on social media. An audio search using the music app Shazam linked to the Ohio State University Marching Band performing the song.

“Just Happened. Military Band practices ‘Hit The Road Jack’ right outside the WH!’” wrote a Twitter user, who shared the altered video on Monday. The clip had 3 million views. Another Twitter user shared the manipulated video on Tuesday with the comment: “Perfect. Trump’s last day. The Military Band right outside the White House — ‘Hit The Road Jack.’” The post had more than 25,000 retweets. The edited video also circulated on Facebook. Shaunteh D. Kelly, a military spokesperson, confirmed to The Associated Press in an email that the “Army Band was rehearsing the ‘National Emblem’ as a part of the military’s precision, teamwork, and dedication to ceremonial excellence.”

— Associated Press writer Arijeta Lajka in New York contributed this report.