Press secretary criticizes Fox News host for depicting security footage as what he described as ‘peaceful chaos’
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House Republicans convened their first hearing on what the committee chairman called the Biden’s administration’s “disastrous” withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
Opening the House foreign affairs committee hearing earlier, the Texas congressman Michael McCaul called for a moment of silence for 13 US service members killed in a terrorist attack near the Kabul airport during the evacuation. More than 100 Afghan civilians were also killed in the attack.
“What happened in Afghanistan was a systemic breakdown of the federal government at every level,” McCaul said, vowing to hold to account officials responsible for what he said was the “abdication of the most basic duties of the United States government to protect Americans and leave no one behind”.
For nearly two weeks in August 2021, the…
2023-03-08 15:28:38
Post from www.theguardian.com
On Wednesday, April 14, the White House issued a stern rebuke to Fox News host Tucker Carlson for misrepresenting the January 6 insurrection footage in his show. In a statement, the White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki called Carlson’s actions “shameful” and accused him of using his platform to spread misinformation.
The statement came in response to a segment on Carlson’s show the previous night. In the segment, Carlson had played a video clip that purported to show an FBI agent encouraging an unnamed individual to commit violence on January 6. Carlson suggested that this clip was evidence that the FBI was involved in planning or inciting the insurrection.
However, the clip was actually edited and taken out of context. The full video, which was released by the Department of Justice on Tuesday, shows the FBI agent telling the individual, “We do not encourage any sort of violence.” The edited version played by Carlson omitted this crucial line.
In her statement, Psaki condemned Carlson for “using his platform to mislead Americans,” and called on Fox News to take action. “It’s irresponsible, it’s damaging, and it’s entirely unacceptable,” she said. “Fox News needs to take responsibility for its role in spreading disinformation and conspiracy theories.”
This is not the first time Carlson has been accused of peddling misinformation. His show has been criticized for promoting conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, downplaying the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, and promoting harmful views on race and immigration.
The White House’s condemnation of Carlson is part of a broader push to combat disinformation and fake news in the media. The Biden administration has made it a priority to push back against the spread of misinformation and to promote accurate reporting. This includes efforts to combat conspiracy theories about the vaccine, election fraud, and other topics.
As the White House statement makes clear, the spread of misinformation is not just a nuisance, it can have serious consequences. Misinformation can lead to violent extremism, undermine democracy, and erode public trust in important institutions like the media and government.
In conclusion, the White House’s condemnation of Tucker Carlson is a strong statement against the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories. It underscores the importance of promoting accurate reporting and holding media outlets accountable for their actions. As citizens, we must be vigilant against misinformation and strive to seek out the truth in all its facets.