The U.S. Army deleted a promotional video showing tanks with graffiti reading “Hang Fauci & Bill Gates” ahead of its June 14 parade, triggering a backlash over extremist messages on military-linked materials.
At a Glance
- A U.S. Army promotional video showcasing tanks being transported to Washington, D.C. featured graffiti that appeared to say “Hang Fauci & Bill Gates”.
- The video was posted on the Army’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, viewed over 700,000 times, and taken down less than 24 hours later.
- Army spokesperson Steve Warren emphasized the message “does not align with Army values”.
- The flatcar in the video was labeled “DODX,” suggesting it may not be owned by the military, and the origin of the graffiti remains unclear.
- The display occurred during the lead-up to a large-scale parade marking the Army’s 250th birthday and President Trump’s 79th.
Context and Controversy
This incident unfolded just days ahead of the Army’s 250th-anniversary parade scheduled for June 14 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The eight-minute promotional video depicted military vehicles being transported from Texas to the capital. Among them, one tank bore the graffiti “Hang Fauci & Bill Gates”—an incendiary slogan echoing longstanding conspiracy theories from the COVID-19 era.
Both Dr. Anthony Fauci and Bill Gates have been frequent targets of misinformation and baseless attacks, often accused without evidence of orchestrating pandemic policies for personal or political gain. Fauci, a former White House medical adviser, has endured credible threats, and Gates has repeatedly denied conspiracies linking him to vaccine microchips and global surveillance.
Accountability and Response
Though the video was shared on the Army’s official X account, it was swiftly removed after backlash and inquiries from media outlets. Army spokesperson Col. Steve Warren stated that the message “does not align with Army values” and was not noticed prior to the video’s release. He added that the railcar carrying the tank bore a “DODX” label—indicating Department of Defense equipment—but the actual ownership and responsibility for the graffiti remained unclear.
A Pentagon official declined to comment, while critics online expressed alarm at the ease with which such messages could enter official media. Given the parade’s proximity to former President Donald Trump’s birthday and its perceived political overtones, some observers questioned whether the incident reflected a deeper cultural shift within the military.
Watch a report: Military parade prep marred by extremist graffiti.
What Comes Next
Senators and watchdog groups have called for an internal investigation into how the video passed through official review without detection of the inflammatory language. The Army is expected to reexamine its content moderation process and transportation security protocols to determine when the graffiti was applied and how it was overlooked.
With public trust and nonpartisan perception at stake, military officials must now work to assure the public that such extremist rhetoric has no place in ceremonial or operational functions. As the nation prepares for a major public celebration of its armed forces, the pressure is on to ensure the Army’s message reflects unity, not division.
