FACT CHECK: Has Deborah Birx Been Arrested By The Military?
An image shared on Instagram claims former coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx was arrested by the U.S. military.
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Verdict: False
There is no evidence Birx was arrested by the military. The claim appears to stem from a website that says it publishes “humor, parody, and satire.”
Fact Check:
Birx was a prominent member of the coronavirus task force under former President Donald Trump’s administration, frequently joining Trump and Dr. Anthony Fauci at the White House podium for briefings throughout the pandemic, according to ABC News.
Now, an Instagram post claims she has been arrested for supposedly conspiring with Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to “deceive the American public into believing that face masks were an effective method to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.” There is no evidence, however, of Birx being arrested.
Check Your Fact searched the Department of Defense website, as well as the Department of Justice website, but neither posted any information about Birx being arrested. Had the former coronavirus advisor been arrested for such a thing, major media outlets likely would have reported on it, yet none have.
Furthermore, the World Health Organization states on its website that wearing face masks, along with avoiding crowds and frequent hand washing, are a “key measure to suppress transmission and save lives.” (RELATED: Was Barack Obama Arrested For Espionage?)
The claim that Birx was arrested appears to stem from a May 29 article published on Real Raw News bearing the headline: “U.S. Military Arrests Dr. Deborah Birx.” Real Raw News includes a disclaimer that its website may contain “humor, parody, and satire,” though social media users have been sharing the claim with no warning, seemingly believing the baseless claim to be true.
This is not the first time a claim from a Real Raw News article has been shared as misinformation on social media. Check Your Fact recently debunked the baseless rumor that Navy SEALs raided Bill Gates’ ranch in Wyoming.
