Chinese Agents Spread Messages That Sowed Virus Panic in U.S., Officials Say

[Zorro]

Source: New York Times

The alarming messages came fast and furious in mid-March, popping up on the cellphone screens and social media feeds of millions of Americans grappling with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Spread the word, the messages said: The Trump administration was about to lock down the entire country.

“They will announce this as soon as they have troops in place to help prevent looters and rioters,” warned one of the messages, which cited a source in the Department of Homeland Security. “He said he got the call last night and was told to pack and be prepared for the call today with his dispatch orders.”

The messages became so widespread over 48 hours that the White House’s National Security Council issued an announcement via Twitter that they were “FAKE.”

Since that wave of panic, United States intelligence agencies have assessed that Chinese operatives helped push the messages across platforms, according to six American officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to publicly discuss intelligence matters. The amplification techniques are alarming to officials because the disinformation showed up as texts on many Americans’ cellphones, a tactic that several of the officials said they had not seen before.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/22/us/politics/coronavirus-china-disinformation.html

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Some YouTube investment guru advisors must have picked up on these themes

I seem to recall similar phrasing a couple weeks ago. But can't quite remember the source.

[Iliyah]

2. Anything coming out from this present corrupt and lying administration. . . .

is subject to propaganda as I find the present Intelligence community as fake news.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. The White House NSC is currently touting Hugh Hewitt in the newest post on its Twitter account.

Their saying that something is fake doesn't carry much weight.

“The problem with the WHO is that they’ve lost all credibility during this crisis…China spends about $40 million dollars on the WHO, about one-tenth of what the U.S. spends, and yet the WHO has become a tool of Chinese propaganda.” - NSA O'Brien

Link to tweet

Another one from yesterday praises Glorious Leader:

"Facing a once-in-a-century pandemic, a crisis that some have likened to a world war, the U.S. is fortunate to have
@realDonaldTrump
in charge. I have witnessed him make the tough decisions necessary at every turn to keep America safe." - NSA O'Brien

Link to tweet

[Chainfire]

4. I appreciated the warning

It was that very message, almost verbatim, that came to me, indirectly, from a well placed government employee, that started me making preparations. I would like to thank the Chinese government for the warning.

It would have been nice if our government had issued some guidance in that same time frame; something like, "this shit is for real, stay the **** at home.....

[Scarsdale]

5. If only we had a government

that could be trusted. tRump and the gop are so crooked, we can not believe anything they say. tRump "making tough decisions"? Since WHEN? His biggest decision of the day is who to attack today. That, plus who should he allow onstage with him, to boost his "ratings"

[Archae]

6. As much as I can't trust ANYTHING from Trump and his goons in the White House...

I think this report is true, since China has lied repeatedly, and covered up their own screwups.

So this would be a Chinese propaganda effort, to distract from their own stupid mistakes.