The U.S. military initiated a covert operation during the COVID-19 pandemic to undermine China's Sinovac vaccine as retaliation for Beijing's attempts to blame Washington for the virus.
The campaign, which started under President Trump and continued into Joe Biden's presidency, persisted even after social media executives warned the new administration about the Pentagon spreading COVID ‘misinformation’. In spring 2021, the Biden administration banned the anti-vaccine effort, leading to an internal Pentagon review.
This previously undisclosed operation aimed to undermine confidence in Chinese vaccines and other aid, according to a Reuters investigation. The clandestine effort involved casting doubt on the safety and efficacy of these supplies through a series of fake social media accounts. The campaign specifically targeted the Filipino public.
Reuters’ investigation involved interviews with over two dozen current and former U.S. officials, military contractors, social media analysts, and academic researchers. They also examined posts on Facebook, X, and Instagram, along with technical data and documents related to the operation. Some fake accounts had been active for more than five years.
Such clandestine psychological operations are among the most sensitive government programs, known only to a select group within U.S. intelligence and military agencies. These operations are closely guarded due to the potential risks of damaging foreign relations or escalating conflicts.
In the past decade, some U.S. national security officials have advocated for a return to aggressive propaganda tactics similar to those used during the Cold War.
Through fake social media profiles mimicking Filipinos, the military's tactics evolved into an anti-vaccine campaign. These posts criticized the quality of face masks, test kits, and China's Sinovac vaccine, which was the first available in the Philippines.
Reuters identified at least 300 X accounts that matched descriptions provided by former U.S. military officials. Most were created in summer 2020 and featured the slogan #Chinaangvirus, which translates to “China is the virus” in Tagalog.
Typical posts included statements like “COVID came from China and the VACCINE also came from China, don’t trust China!” These posts were often accompanied by images of syringes next to the Chinese flag and charts showing rising infection rates. Another post declared: “From China – PPE, Face Mask, Vaccine: FAKE. But the Coronavirus is real.”
After Reuters alerted X about these accounts, the platform removed them, identifying them as part of a coordinated bot campaign based on activity patterns and internal data.
The U.S. military's anti-vaccine initiative began in spring 2020 and extended beyond Southeast Asia before being terminated in mid-2021. The Pentagon tailored its message to local audiences across Central Asia and the Middle East, using fake social media accounts to amplify fears about Chinese vaccines. Part of the strategy involved highlighting the disputed claim that, due to the presence of pork gelatin, China's vaccines might be forbidden under Islamic law.
While the U.S. military is barred from targeting Americans with propaganda, Reuters found no evidence that the Pentagon's campaign did so. A senior Defense Department official confirmed the use of secret propaganda to discredit China's vaccine but declined to provide details.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has long accused the U.S. government of manipulating social media and spreading misinformation. Academic research shows that skepticism toward one vaccine can lead to broader vaccine hesitancy.
Historical parallels include the CIA’s fake hepatitis vaccination program in Pakistan, which led to a backlash against polio vaccination efforts after the ruse was exposed.
The military's fake accounts amassed tens of thousands of followers. However, the extent of the disinformation's reach and its impact on COVID-19 vaccination rates remain unclear. In the Philippines, then-President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to arrest those refusing vaccinations amid low inoculation rates, with only 2.1 million fully vaccinated out of a target of 70 million.
The Defense Department overrode objections from top U.S. diplomats in Southeast Asia to implement the anti-vaccine campaign, running it through its psychological operations center in Tampa, Florida.
This effort was partly a response to China’s attempts to spread false information about COVID-19’s origins. Chinese officials had suggested the virus might have been brought to China by an American service member or originated at a U.S. Army research facility.
Chinese officials did not comment on the Justice Department's complaint regarding Beijing's propaganda efforts. Spokespeople for Trump and Biden also did not respond to requzests for comment on the clandestine program.
