A post shared on Facebook claims over 100 United States Agency for International Development (USAID) employees were purportedly arrested by U.S. Marines for treason.

Verdict: False

The claim is false and originally stems from a March 25 article published on the satire site “Real Raw News.”

Fact Check:

The Trump administration has prepared a proposal that would restructure the USAID, limiting its focus to “humanitarian assistance, disaster response, global health and food security,” according to Reuters. The proposal also calls for the USAID to be renamed to the U.S. Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance, the outlet reported.

The Facebook post claims over 100 USAID employees were purportedly arrested by U.S. Marines for treason. The same post claims one of the alleged employees, Johnathon Clearwater had purportedly violated the Espionage Act of 1917 by communicating with Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense in Kyiv about the “White House’s plans to compel to [President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy to agree to a temporary ceasefire.”

The claim is false and originally stems from a March 25 article published on the satire site “Real Raw News.” A “Disclaimer” included on the site’s “About Us” page indicates its content is not meant to be taken literally. “Information on this website is for informational and educational and entertainment purposes. This website contains humor, parody, and satire. We have included this disclaimer for our protection, on the advice [of] legal counsel,” the disclaimer reads.

Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find the claim referenced on the USAID’s official LinkedIn page or its verified Facebook account. The agency’s website, X, and YouTube accounts are not available following a Feb. 23 notice of administrative leave. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) has not issued a press release or a social media statement responding to the claim. President Donald Trump does not appear to have publicly commented on the claim, either.

In addition, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to support the claim. If USAID employees had actually been arrested for treason, multiple media outlets would’ve reported it, yet none have. (RELATED: Did Nancy Pelosi’s Vineyard Receive $14 Million In USAID Funding?)

This is not the first time a satirical claim has circulated online. Check Your Fact previously debunked a Facebook image claiming the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals had purportedly removed Judge Tanya Chutkan from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and reassigned her to a lower court.