Topline
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday morning has sparked a proliferation of conspiracy theories online, from claims that cyberattackers are to blame to observers pointing to similarities with a Netflix film produced by the Obamas, though officials continue to dispel rumors.
Key Facts
The White House and FBI bureau in Baltimore have both knocked down claims the cargo ship that lost power and crashed into the bridge was intentionally hacked, a theory spread largely by a post from controversial influencer Andrew Tate claiming the vessel was “cyber-attacked” by “foreign agents of the USA,” a post that had been viewed almost 19 million times as of Wednesday afternoon.
A similar theory was spread by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who posted to X to demand a “serious investigation” and included a video from conspiracy account MJTruthUltra, which has spread unsupported claims the ship was hacked.
A White House official on Tuesday said there is “no indication of any nefarious intent” in the tragedy and the FBI posted there is “no specific and credible information to suggest any ties to terrorism at this time.”
Matt Wallace, an influencer with 1.6 million followers, used his platform to draw connections between the crash and Barack and Michelle Obama via the Netflix movie “Leave the World Behind,” which the Obamas produced and which depicted an oil tanker running aground on the coast of Long Island amid a nationwide power failure.
Wallace’s post suggested the film somehow predicted the event and he followed up with a video suggesting the crash “all ties back to one person”— former president Barack Obama.
Other theories have claimed the crash was orchestrated by a Ukrainian boat pilot with a vendetta against the United States, that the bridge was specifically targeted by those attempting to undermine America because it is named for “Star Spangled Banner” writer Francis Scott Key or that explosive charges were affixed to the bridge, worsening the crash.
Key Background
A Singaporean-flagged cargo ship named the Dali was moving through the Patapsco River in Baltimore at around 1 a.m. Tuesday morning when its 22-person crew lost control of the vessel. Those on board made a mayday call at 1:26 a.m. to warn local authorities the ship was at max speed, out of control and headed toward the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Maryland Transportation Authority Police quickly blocked traffic on either side of the bridge, stopping cars from traveling onto the structure, and within minutes the Dali hit a support column and the bridge collapsed into the water below. Video of the crash shows the Dali losing and rapidly regaining power multiple times before hitting the bridge. Search and rescue efforts immediately began for eight construction workers who were on the bridge at the time of the crash. Operations were called off Tuesday evening, with six of the workers still missing and presumed dead. Two were pulled from the water immediately after the collapse, according to the Washington Post. President Joe Biden has said the federal government will pay to fix the bridge, which collapsed almost exactly 47 years after it opened.
Tangent
Conspiracy theories about the bridge are spreading rapidly on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Changes implemented by Elon Musk have been repeatedly criticized for allowing unsubstantiated claims of conspiracy theorists to spiral out of control since he took over the platform in 2022. In the time since, misinformation on topics like climate change and the Israel-Hamas war, propaganda from foreign governments and hate speech have increasingly spread with almost no interference, the New York Times reported last year. In addition, changes to the platform’s policies now allow the content of anyone willing to pay $8 per month for a verified account to be artificially boosted by the X algorithm, forcing them in front of more people than ever before. Andrew Tate, Matt Wallace, MJTruthUltra and BGatesIsaPyscho, accounts that have spread popular conspiracy theories about the bridge collapse, are all verified.
