FACT CHECK: No, Dutch Government Official Did Not Say COVID-19 Pandemic Was A ‘Military Operation’

A post shared on Facebook claims a Dutch government official admitted the COVID-19 pandemic was a “military operation.” 

Verdict: False

There is no evidence for this claim, which originates from a site Check Your Fact has debunked in the past.

Fact Check: 

Life expectancy in the United States is on the rise again since the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, according to CNN. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that people born in 2023 are now expected to live 78.4 years, which is just 0.4 years short of the life expectancy in 2019, the outlet reported.

The post shows a screenshot of an article with the headline, “Dutch Government Official Admits Covid Pandemic Was ‘Military Operation’: ‘Ministry of Health Obeys NATO.’” The article features an image of Dutch Health Minister Fleur Agema. 

The claim stems from an article by Slay News, which claims Agema made the statement. Check Your Fact has debunked this site multiple times previously. There are no credible news reports to corroborate this claim. (RELATED: Kamala Harris Falsely Claims Donald Trump Lost 200,000 Manufacturing Jobs Before Pandemic Started)

The Slay News article cites an X post as a source. This post includes videos of Agema speaking, but she does not mention the “military operation” comment suggested by the Facebook post. Instead, the claim is made by the author of the post, Els van Veen, whose X bio says she is a “registered general practitioner.” When Agema mentions a “military operation,” she is referring to COVID-19 policy, not the pandemic itself.  

Check Your Fact reached out to an Agema spokesperson for comment.