Title: | No, Defense Department didn’t award COVID-19 contract in Ukraine before virus emerged |
URL: | https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/apr/17/tiktok-posts/no-defense-department-didnt-award-covid-19-contrac/ |
Publisher: | PolitiFact |
Date published: | April 17, 2023 |
Description: | This claim is inaccurate. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, a U.S. Defense Department arm that works to deter attacks and emerging threats, in November 2019 awarded a contract for non-COVID-19 training support in Ukraine, the agency said. An agency spokesperson said the contract’s description was modified in 2020, months after the virus emerged, to focus on COVID-19 research. The Defense Department typically modifies contracts over time to address emerging needs. The Defense Department did not pay for COVID-19 research in Ukraine before the virus emerged. We rate this claim False. |
No, Defense Department didn’t award COVID-19 contract in Ukraine before virus emerged
This claim is inaccurate. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, a U.S. Defense Department arm that works to deter attacks and emerging threats, in November 2019 awarded a contract for non-COVID-19 training support in Ukraine, the agency said.
An agency spokesperson said the contract's description was modified in 2020, months after the virus emerged, to focus on COVID-19 research. The Defense Department typically modifies contracts over time to address emerging needs.
The Defense Department did not pay for COVID-19 research in Ukraine before the virus emerged. We rate this claim False.