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Fox News is reacting to a viral conspiracy theory claiming a vice admiral wore a Mission Impossible-like mask during an on-air interview in an effort to hide his real identity.
Vice Admiral Robert Harward, a retired Navy Seal and the former Deputy commander of the United States Central Command, appeared on the network’s show America’s Newsroom on Tuesday, May 19, to share his expertise and personal opinions on the ongoing war in Iran with hosts Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino.
During his appearance, a shadow was cast on the base of the former Seal’s throat, sparking an instantly-viral claim that Harward was wearing a silicone, life-like mask in the hopes of hiding or at the very least obscuring his true identity.
“Fox aired an interview with retired Robert Harward, former Deputy Commander of CENTCOM,” one social media user wrote. “I think the Deep State does this a lot to make it difficult to figure out what on this Flat Earth is going on.”
“The Robert Harward Fox News interview doesn’t mean he’s dead, replaced, or alien. He was very likely just unavailable that day,” another wrote.
Even famous influencers and musicians were publicly questioning the vice admiral’s Fox News appearance.
“I need an explanation Or ima feel like we under siege with mind control!” Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill wrote via X on Friday, May 22, reacting to the interview and the strange shadow on the vice admiral’s neck. “Wassup with bro bro neck!”
Others, however, seemed to make comments in jest, poking fun at the viral claims and online conspiracy theories.
“That motherf***er is NOT real!” Meghan McCain, former The View cohost and daughter of the late Senator and presidential hopeful John McCain, wrote via X while sharing a clip of the interview, seemingly poking fun at claims Harward is not who he claims he is. (McCain, 41, was referencing Tiffany Gomas’ infamous airplane rant.)
Fox News later issued a statement in response to the conspiracy theories, which gained so much online traction the prediction-betting platform Polymarket started taking bets on whether Harward was, indeed, hiding his true identity.
“Vice Admiral Robert Harward appeared on FOX News Channel earlier this week via a remote, mobile camera operated by an outside vendor,” the network wrote in a statement to TMZ published on Friday. “During the interview, lighting conditions in the van contrasted with the vice admiral’s jacket, which caused a shadow to appear on his neck.”
The former Navy Seal has not publicly commented on the viral reaction to his Fox News interview.
