The government website to sign up or check on selective service status crashed following the death of Qassem Soleimani because of the “spread of misinformation.”
The Twitter account for the agency put out two statements on Friday, the same day that #WorldWarIII trended across social media. The targeted attack on the Iranian military commander prompted some to worry about the chances of a larger conflict in the Middle East.
“Due to the spread of misinformation, our website is experiencing high traffic volumes at this time. If you are attempting to register or verify registration, please check back later today as we are working to resolve this issue. We appreciate your patience,” one tweet read.
Due to the spread of misinformation, our website is experiencing high traffic volumes at this time. If you are attempting to register or verify registration, please check back later today as we are working to resolve this issue. We appreciate your patience.
— Selective Service (@SSS_gov) January 3, 2020
As of 4 p.m. on Friday, the website was running very slowly, with some pages not loading at all. The agency also put out a statement clarifying that in order for there to be a draft, which has not happened since the Vietnam War, legislation would have to be passed and signed by President Trump.
“The Selective Service System is conducting business as usual. In the event that a national emergency necessitates a draft, Congress and the President would need to pass official legislation to authorize a draft,” the agency tweeted.
The Selective Service System is conducting business as usual. In the event that a national emergency necessitates a draft, Congress and the President would need to pass official legislation to authorize a draft. pic.twitter.com/M4tY2dLoX1
— Selective Service (@SSS_gov) January 3, 2020
Soleimani, 62, was killed in a drone strike in Baghdad. He was the longtime leader of the Quds Force, a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran’s leader warned that America will face “severe revenge” for the targeted attack.
Search terms such as “Selective Service” and “U.S. draft” shot up following news of the drone strike against Soleimani.
The agency’s Twitter account also responded to some users who asked how to “unregister” from the selective service.
Registration is a requirement for all men 18-25.
— Selective Service (@SSS_gov) January 3, 2020
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Selective Service System for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
