GOP congressman accuses Facebook of ‘censoring’ post on US military equipment left behind in Afghanistan

A North Carolina congressman says he was the victim of censorship this week when Facebook flagged as misinformation a post he shared describing U.S. military equipment that was allegedly lost to the Taliban amid a withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.

According to The Washington Times, the post, shared across multiple platforms by Republican Rep. Richard Hudson, was labeled by Facebook and Instagram as “false information,” an assertion the congressman disputes.

“Facebook, Instagram’s parent company, later removed their flag on the posts,” the Times reported Wednesday, “but Greg Steele, a spokesman for the lawmaker, said their actions by the social media sites are concerning.”

“Trying to keep the truth away”

Steele also brought up recent reports alleging that President Joe Biden’s administration has worked to “scrub” details about the Taliban gaining access to U.S. military equipment from official reports.

“Joe Biden promised the most transparent administration in history, but is reportedly trying to scrub information about his catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan and the equipment left behind,” Steele remarked to The Washington Times. “My fear is Facebook was also trying to keep the truth away from people, but I am glad they have corrected the false labeling.”

Hudson himself also spoke out against the alleged censorship.

“Facebook and Instagram are censoring this post on their platforms, despite these numbers being compiled by official government agencies and ‘fact checkers’ not disputing them. We cannot let Big Tech hide the truth,” the congressman wrote in a Wednesday tweet.

Facebook and Instagram are censoring this post on their platforms, despite these numbers being compiled by official government agencies and ‘fact checkers’ not disputing them. We cannot let Big Tech hide the truth. #Afghanistan https://t.co/UzLP18Imo3 pic.twitter.com/i6SoeaBMbg

— Richard Hudson (@RepRichHudson) September 1, 2021

The battle over censorship continues

Hudon’s original post, shared across multiple platforms, claimed that “[i]n addition to thousands of Americans and allies left behind in Afghanistan, President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal also left billions of dollars of military equipment — paid for by American taxpayers — in the hands of the brutal Taliban regime.” He called the situation a “disgrace.”

In addition to thousands of Americans and allies left behind in Afghanistan, President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal also left billions of dollars of military equipment – paid for by American taxpayers – in the hands of the brutal Taliban regime. This is a disgrace. pic.twitter.com/4tJbBmSe6H

— Richard Hudson (@RepRichHudson) September 1, 2021

Responding to Facebook’s decision to flag the post, Hudson admitted that “fact-checkers have disputed the exact dollar amount of equipment left in Afghanistan (estimated to be $24 billion of our total $82.9 billion investment in Afghanistan),” but noted that his original post didn’t mention a set number, according to the Times. “There is no dispute of the inventory of vehicles, arms, and aircraft American taxpayers sent to Afghanistan over the last two decades,” Hudson added.

In a later tweet, the lawmaker declared: “We can never let these facts be censored or hidden from the American people.”

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