Pentagon ran secret anti-vax campaign to undermine China during pandemic
The U.S. military launched a clandestine program amid the COVID crisis to discredit China’s Sinovac inoculation – payback for Beijing’s efforts to blame Washington for the pandemic. One target: the Filipino public. Health experts say the gambit was indefensible and put innocent lives at risk.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. military launched a secret campaign to counter what it perceived as China’s growing influence in the Philippines, a nation hit especially hard by the deadly virus.
The clandestine operation has not been previously reported. It aimed to sow doubt about the safety and efficacy of vaccines and other life-saving aid that was being supplied by China, a Reuters investigation found. Through phony internet accounts meant to impersonate Filipinos, the military’s propaganda efforts morphed into an anti-vax campaign. Social media posts decried the quality of face masks, test kits and the first vaccine that would become available in the Philippines – China’s Sinovac inoculation.
Answer (1)
The Pentagon reportedly ran a secret anti-vax campaign to undermine China's influence during the pandemic. This military program, which started under former President Donald Trump, continued into Joe Biden's presidency, even after social media executives warned the administration about the Pentagon's COVID misinformation ¹.*Key Points:*- *Program Origins*: The program began under Trump's presidency, aiming to counter China's growing influence.- *Continuation*: It continued into Biden's presidency, despite warnings from social media executives.- *Misinformation*: The program involved spreading COVID misinformation and disparaging vaccines from rival countries.- *Ban and Review*: The Biden White House banned the program in spring 2021, prompting an internal Pentagon review.It's essential to note that the U.S. military is prohibited from targeting Americans with propaganda, and there's no evidence the Pentagon's influence operation did so ¹. However, the lack of comments from Trump and Biden's spokespeople raises questions about the program's intentions and implications.
