Wolf Suggests Russia May Be Spreading National Quarantine Rumors

UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 25: Chad Wolf, acting DHS secretary, testifies during the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security hearing on the FY2021 budget request for DHS in Dirksen Building on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 25: Chad Wolf, acting DHS secretary, testifies during the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security hearing on the FY2021 budget request for DHS in Dirksen Building on Tuesday, ... UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 25: Chad Wolf, acting DHS secretary, testifies during the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security hearing on the FY2021 budget request for DHS in Dirksen Building on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf dismissed the notion of an impending national lockdown or quarantine in the U.S. during an interview on Fox News Sunday morning.

After saying that he’s been contacted numerous times about text messages and screenshots warning of a national lockdown or a national quarantine, Wolf said the messages are “absolutely false” and that it’s “part of a disinformation campaign.”

“What we know — whether it’s Russia or whether it’s other cyber actors — they like to sow discord on any controversial issue,” Wolf said. “So, it doesn’t just have to be elections. It can be any issue. And we’re seeing that now with the coronavirus.”

Wolf went on to urge Americans to not believe or spread the rumors and to get information from state and federal officials.

On Friday, the White House’s National Security Council tweeted that text messages and emails about an impending national shutdown are “absolutely false.”

Last month, the World Health Organization, which classified the coronavirus outbreak as a “pandemic,” acknowledged that the response to the outbreak has been accompanied by an “infodemic” — an overabundance of accurate and inaccurate information that impedes the public’s ability to find reliable guidance.

Watch Wolf’s remarks below:

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. “What we know — whether it’s Russia or whether it’s other cyber actors — they like to sow discord on any controversial issue,”

    Did you clear the Russia part of your statement with your Dear Covidiot Leader?

    Beware, you might be fired for taking the name of Covidiot Trump’s puppeteer in vain!

  2. “So, it doesn’t just have to be elections.”

    Easy, now, big fella.

  3. Holy fucking fuck. It’s an easy question: “We are not planning that but are evaluating everything, and watching to see if those efforts are effective in the areas that are implementing them.” Or way better, “Yes we absolutely will be doing this soon, for the safety of all Americans.” Instead he goes batshit crazy on the Russian thing. We’re screwed.

  4. Everything is fake and/or a hoax. Fortunately our President is a beacon of Hope and Truth…

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

79 more replies

Participants

Avatar for mondfledermaus Avatar for eggrollian Avatar for zoester Avatar for DuckmanGR Avatar for lastroth Avatar for jkrogman Avatar for stradivarius50t3 Avatar for jasan Avatar for ronbyers Avatar for pshah Avatar for tena Avatar for edhedh Avatar for rickjones Avatar for jacksonhts Avatar for canyoncountry Avatar for tmulcaire Avatar for uneducated Avatar for dannydorko Avatar for prometheus_bic Avatar for oldsailor4 Avatar for evave2 Avatar for ericm Avatar for gilgamesh Avatar for Psych

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: