FACT CHECK: Did James Mattis Flee The Country After Allegedly Being Charged With Treason?
A post shared on Facebook purports former Secretary of Defense Gen. James Mattis allegedly fled to Ukraine after U.S. Marines attempted to arrest him for treason.
Verdict: False
The claim stems from a satirical website. There is no evidence supporting the purported claim.
Fact Check:
Mattis served as Secretary of Defense under President Donald Trump’s administration, CNBC reported. He resigned from his role in 2018 after Trump’s plans to withdraw troops from Syria were made public, according to CNN.
The Facebook post purports Mattis allegedly fled to Ukraine after U.S. Marines attempted to arrest him for treason. The post further claims U.S. Marines learned Mattis purportedly boarded a flight on Jan. 10 after he did not return home from a two-week overseas vacation. (RELATED: Did The U.S. Military Arrest Jeff Zients For Treason And Murder?)
The claim is false. There are no credible news reports suggesting Mattis fled to Ukraine or that he has committed treason. Likewise, the claim neither appears on the Marine Corps’ website nor its verified social media accounts. In addition, the FBI has not publicly commented on the purported claim.
A keyword search reveals the claim stems from a Jan. 30 article published by the website, “Real Raw News.” A disclaimer included on its “About Us” page indicates it contains “humor, parody, and satire.”
Check Your Fact has contacted the U.S. Marine Corps for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
This is not the first time a satirical claim has circulated online. Check Your Fact previously debunked a social media post purporting Biden’s White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain was arrested by the U.S. Special Forces for crimes regarding the 2020 presidential election.