US Marine chief did not 'warn against getting Covid-19 jabs'
- This article is more than one year old.
- Published on September 13, 2021 at 09:59
- 2 min read
- By AFP Philippines
Copyright © AFP 2017-2025. Any commercial use of this content requires a subscription. Click here to find out more.
"Gen. Berger rebuked US Defense Secretary to protect all US Marines from being guinea pigs," reads the caption of this Facebook post on August 11, 2021.
The text above an image of Berger reads: "Marine Corps General David H. Berger on Monday Rebuked Def Sec: "No Mandatory Vaccinations for My Marines".
"Under no circumstance will Marines be compelled to take a potentially hazardous vaccination that the FDA won't even fully endorse".
The post circulated online less than two days after the Pentagon said it would make Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for all members of the US military by mid-September, amid an alarming surge in infections by the Delta variant.
AFP reported on the development here.
A similar claim was also shared on Facebook here, here and here; and on Reddit here.
Comments from some social media users in the Philippines indicated they thought the posts included Berger's genuine remarks.
"Wow! We need leaders like him," reads one comment.
"That's the stand our generals should also make to save the lives of our armed forces," another wrote.
But the posts are misleading.
Keyword searches on Google found the purported remarks were originally published on US site Real Raw News on August 10, 2021.
The website features a disclaimer that says it "contains humor, parody, and satire".
Below is a screenshot of the disclaimer:
AFP found no credible news reports that Berger made the alleged remarks.
A spokesperson for the US Marines told AFP the posts were baseless.
"The posts you have referenced are in no way factual," the spokesperson said on September 8.
Berger in fact received a Covid-19 jab in late December 2020 and encouraged his troops to get vaccinated.
I received my #COVID19 vaccination today. It was great to see many frontline medical workers getting their shot as well. As the vaccine becomes available, I encourage all Marines and their families to get the shot to slow the spread of the virus. pic.twitter.com/nno2FxXDth
— David H. Berger (@CMC_MarineCorps) December 22, 2020
AFP has previously debunked misleading posts claiming Berger berated Speaker Nancy Pelosi in January. These posts also originated from Real Raw News.
Is there content that you would like AFP to fact-check? Get in touch.
Contact us
