USA Today fact-checkers were slammed on social media after they ruled that controversy over President-elect Joe Biden’s press secretary pick was “missing context.”
“Fact check: The claim: A photo shows Jen Psaki, Joe Biden’s pick for press secretary, wearing a hammer and sickle hat while posing with officials from Russia,” USA Today tweeted on Tuesday in response to a photo that resurfaced of Obama administration alum Jen Psaki posing with Russian officials donning a hat emblazoned with the communist hammer and sickle. An estimate from Russia expert David Satter in 2017 concluded that at least 20 million Russians died as a direct result of communist policies.
“Our ruling: Missing context,” USA Today reported.
Fact check:
The claim: A photo shows Jen Psaki, Joe Biden’s pick for press secretary, wearing a hammer and sickle hat while posing with officials from Russia.
Our ruling: Missing context https://t.co/r36VAwWZWV
— USA TODAY Politics (@usatodayDC) December 1, 2020
“She is wearing a pink hat with a hammer and sickle emblem, which was a gift from the Russians that she returned,” the fact-check stated. “At the time, Psaki was spokesperson for the U.S. State Department. The image is real, but claims that the hat was anything more a gift or that Psaki was with Russian officials in any capacity beyond her official role are MISSING CONTEXT.”
Yes, it’s the hammer and sickle pic.twitter.com/sniIGMNX61
— Matt Wolking (@MattWolking) December 1, 2020
The conclusion seemingly downplaying the controversy drew the ire of several prominent conservatives on Twitter.
“Why are you fat [sic] checking this?” Donald Trump Jr. responded on Twitter. “No one’s making a claim just showing her wearing a commie hat… THATS A FACT!!! If the media stopped running cover for Democrats as their primary mission maybe they have some credibility left.”
Why are you fat checking this? No one’s making a claim just showing her wearing a commie hat… THATS A FACT!!!
If the media stopped running cover for Democrats as their primary mission maybe they have some credibility left. https://t.co/DtcKwkAev9
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 1, 2020
“Would you look at this…” author Dinesh D’Souza tweeted. “The ‘independent fact checkers’ working with @Facebook have ruled this post of mine “missing context” despite the photo of @jrpsaki wearing a pink hammer & sickle hat being 100% real. This is now a strike on my page. Who fact-checks the fact checkers?”
Would you look at this…
The “independent fact checkers” working with @Facebook have ruled this post of mine “missing context” despite the photo of @jrpsaki wearing a pink hammer & sickle hat being 100% real.
This is now a strike on my page.
Who fact-checks the fact checkers? https://t.co/VXPHklLUsu
— Dinesh D’Souza (@DineshDSouza) December 1, 2020
“The same people will tell you that wearing a red hat makes one a racist,” political commentator Dana Loesch tweeted.
The same people will tell you that wearing a red hat makes one a racist. https://t.co/SmQrvFxYjF
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) December 1, 2020
“And journalists wonder why they’re viewed even more unfavorably than politicians,” Grabien Founder Tom Elliott tweeted.
And journalists wonder why they’re viewed even more unfavorably than politicians
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) December 1, 2020
Others on Twitter highlighted an appearance by Psaki in March of 2015 while she served as State Department spokesperson where she appeared to claim that she had kept the hat and not returned it as the fact-check stated.
“Hi @USATODAY! Your fact check directly contradicts Psaki’s own words,” author Mike Cernovich tweeted. “How can @Facebook use USA Today to fact check?”
Hi @USATODAY!
Your fact check directly contradicts Psaki’s own words.
How can @Facebook use USA Today to fact check? https://t.co/XXB4Y1rlBM pic.twitter.com/VX7qpyxDns
— Cerno (@Cernovich) December 2, 2020
“Speaking of ‘missing context,’ no where in this ‘fact check’ does it mention that during her final State Department briefing on 03/25/2015, Psaki told reporters: ‘I have my pink hat at home, it’s coming with me to the White House,’” Daily Wire reporter Ryan Saavedra tweeted.
Speaking of “missing context,” no where in this “fact check” does it mention that during her final State Department briefing on 03/25/2015, Psaki told reporters: “I have my pink hat at home, it’s coming with me to the White House”
Starts at 26:30: https://t.co/imshb1nO9t https://t.co/CcKjpciomA
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) December 2, 2020
“I have my pink hat at home, it’s coming with me to the White House,” Russian media reported her saying at the time.
USA Today did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner.
