The digital age has brought with it a surge of misinformation, and a recent unfounded claim about a former Air Force official is a prime example. Social media platforms have been abuzz with allegations that James “Jim” Slife, the former Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, was charged with treason and sentenced to death by hanging. However, these claims have been debunked as false.
According to a story published by Real Raw News on May 8, Slife was supposedly convicted by the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps and the Office of Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. These allegations were rapidly disseminated across various social media accounts, as reported by Snopes. The article falsely claimed that Slife’s execution was set for May 12.
Officials have categorically denied these allegations. Ronald Flesvig from the Office of Military Commissions-Convening Authority clarified to Military.com that the commission’s jurisdiction is limited to “alien, unlawful, enemy combatants engaged in hostilities against the United States” and cannot be used against U.S. citizens. Flesvig stated, “The Military Commissions has never tried a case against U.S. Air Force Gen. James Slife or any U.S. citizen.”
The Department of the Air Force also confirmed the inaccuracy of the online claims. Attempts to reach Slife for comment were unsuccessful, as a publicly listed number went unanswered.
Back in February, Military.com reported that Slife, along with other military leaders, was removed from his position without a public explanation from the Pentagon. Slife faced criticism for addressing racial issues within the Air Force, particularly after the 2020 killing of George Floyd, which sparked nationwide protests.
Following his dismissal, Real Raw News published another piece, claiming Slife was arrested by the Army Criminal Investigation Division. This report, like the previous one, is fictitious.
Kris Goldsmith, CEO and founder of Task Force Butler, a nonprofit focused on counter-extremism, criticized the author behind these misleading articles. Known as “Michael Baxter,” the author was exposed in a 2021 Poynter story. Goldsmith emphasized the need to address such disinformation, stating, “This guy is not doing this simply to spread false narratives. He’s doing it because it’s clickbait, and he earns ad revenue from it.”
While the Real Raw News site claims its content is meant for “informational and educational and entertainment purposes,” it also labels its content as humor, parody, and satire in its About Us section. Nonetheless, snippets of the site’s articles find their way onto platforms like Truth Social, X, and Facebook.
