Trump National Security Pick Monica Crowley Pushed WMD Lies And Smeared Refugees As Terrorist Infiltrators

Crowley Also Has Attacked The Media As “Corrupt” And Pushed Numerous Conspiracy Theories

Special Programs LGBTQ

Written by Zachary Pleat

Published

President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly picked Washington Times columnist and (now former) Fox News contributor Monica Crowley as deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, after considering her for press secretary. Crowley repeatedly pushed false claims about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and Iran, smeared Syrian refugees fleeing war as terrorists, routinely attacks journalists as “corrupt” and “leftist,” and has pushed numerous conspiracy theories.

Crowley Supported Bush Administration Lie That Iraq Possessed Weapons Of Mass Destruction Before 2003 Invasion, Fearmongered About Iran WMD As Far Back As 2004

In 2002, Crowley Said, “We Do Know That Saddam Hussein Possesses Weapons Of Mass Destruction.” Monica Crowley said on the October 8, 2002, edition of Fox News’ Fox Wire that “we do know that Saddam Hussein possesses weapons of mass destruction.” She continued, “We know he has chemical weapons, we know he has biological, and he has a nascent nuclear capability.” [Media Matters, 5/1/06]

In Late 2004, Crowley Claimed Iraq Might Have Moved Weapons Of Mass Destruction Out Of The Country. On a radio show in October 2004, Crowley cited a discredited Washington Times article about Russian forces allegedly removing explosives from an Iraqi facility to suggest something similar had happened to prevent American forces from finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. [Media Matters, 10/29/04]

In April 2004, Crowley Claimed Iran “May Already Have” A Nuclear Weapon. On the April 17, 2004, edition of MSNBC’s Scarborough Country, Crowley said that Iran has “weapons of mass destruction, possibly even nuclear at this point.” She later reiterated her claim about “nuclear weapons that they may already have” and claimed Iran would hand them to Al Qaeda to detonate in America. [Media Matters, 4/20/06]

In September 2010, Crowley Allowed A Guest To Misrepresent CIA Director Leon Panetta’s Remarks To Claim “The Iranians Are About A Year Away From The Bomb.” On the September 7, 2010, edition of Fox’s The O'Reilly Factor, guest Scooter Libby -- former adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney -- stated, “In June, of this year, the CIA director, Leon Panetta, I think on one of these shows, said that two things. One, the Iranians are about a year away from the bomb.” Guest host Crowley responded, “Right.” In fact, Panetta said that were Iran to decide to fully enrich its uranium, “it probably would take a year to get there,” adding: “Probably take another year to develop the kind of weapon delivery system in order to make that viable.” [Media Matters, 2/21/12]

In August 2012, Crowley Said The Obama Administration Wants To “Advance Our Enemies” And Might “Want Iran To Have A Nuclear Weapon.” While guest hosting the August 24, 2012, edition of Fox’s The O’Reilly Factor, Crowley said of Iran, “we’re on the cusp of them having a nuclear weapon, if they don’t already.” She then said that it seems to her that the Obama administration “almost want[s] Iran to have a nuclear weapon.” [Media Matters, 8/24/12]

Crowley Has Smeared Syrian Refugees As Terrorist Infiltrators

Crowley At The Berlin Wall: "Walls Work”

Crowley: Refugees Fleeing To Europe Are An “Invasion” Of “Fighting-Age Males.”

Crowley On Trump’s Anti-Muslim Immigration Proposal: “This Is A Holy War. This Is Essentially The Constitution Versus The Quran On Every Level.”

Crowley Commenting On Story About Fears Of Refugees In U.S.: “ISIS, Come On In!”

Crowley Supported False Claim Syrian Refugees Participated In Paris Terror Attacks. Crowley twice tweeted out the false claim that Syrian refugees were involved in the November 2015 Paris terror attacks. In fact, European officials explained that the attackers were all European Union citizens. [Politico, 10/4/16]

Crowley Regularly Disparages The Press As Corrupt And “Leftist”

Crowley Has Often Tarred The Media As “Corrupt.”

Crowley: “Obama Has Gotten Away [With] Bloody Murder,” “Literally,” With “The Protection Of The Press.”

Crowley Accused Media Of Running “Mafia-Like Protection Racket” On Behalf Of President Obama.

Crowley Frequently Derides Media As “Leftist.”

Crowley Is A Conspiracy Theorist

Crowley Supported Trump’s Birtherism And Pushed Other Conspiracy Theories About President Obama’s Race, Faith, And “Real Father”

Crowley: Trump’s Birtherism “Gaining Traction” Because Obama Has “Adopted Some Policies That Are Seriously Antithetical To American Values.”

Crowley: Trump’s Questions About Obama’s Birth Certificate And Educational History Are “Very Legitimate.”

Crowley: “Issues About [Obama’s] Origins … Have Traction” Because He Does “Un-American” Things That Give Impression He's “Not One Of Us.”

Crowley Questioned Whether Obama Is A “Natural-Born Citizen” And Eligible To Be President.

Crowley Enthusiastically Endorsed “Dynamite” Conspiracy Theory Film Alleging Obama’s Real Father Is Communist Frank Marshall Davis. [Media Matters, 10/25/12]

Crowley Claimed Obama Is An Arab, Not Black, And That He’s Lying By Presenting Himself As African-American. [Media Matters, 6/26/08]

Crowley Pushed Myth That Obama Is Muslim By Falsely Claiming His Half-Brother Told The Jerusalem Post That “Obama’s Got A Really Solid Muslim Background.” [Media Matters, 6/20/08]

Crowley Pushed Clinton Health Conspiracy Theories

Crowley Pushed Conspiracy Theory That Clinton Faked Illness And Concussion To Avoid Benghazi Testimony.

Crowley Helped Push Conspiracy Theory About Clinton’s Health During Presidential Campaign By Highlighting “Major Coughing Fits.”

Crowley Routinely Fearmongers About A Democratic Takeover Of Americans’ Daily Lives Through Legislation And Administrative Action

Crowley: 2009 Cap And Trade Legislation Was “Really About … The Government Taking More And More Control Over Your Life.”

Crowley On Health Care Reform Debate In 2009: “We’re Talking About Nationalizing … Health Care.”

Crowley: Obama Was Trying To “Indoctrinate Our Children” With 2009 Education Speech; “This Is What Chairman Mao Did.”

Crowley Pushed Conspiracy Theory That ATF’s Fast & Furious Operation Was Meant To Create Conditions For Passing Stronger Gun Laws.

Crowley: The Social Safety Net’s Purpose Is To Create A “Cult Of Victimhood And Dependency.”

Crowley: Obama’s “Whole Objective Is To ... Get People Dependent On Government."

Crowley Has Made Inflammatory And Offensive Statements About The LGBTQ Community, President Obama, And Others

Crowley: Justice Sonia Sotomayor Was “Basically Alexander Hamilton In Drag” During 2009 Senate Confirmation Hearing.

Crowley: Justice Department’s Decision Not To Defend DOMA Is A “Form Of Dictatorship From “Mubarak Obama.”

Crowley Insinuated Women's Rights Activist Sandra Fluke Was Gay And Later Apologized After Outcry.

Crowley Said Obama And Accused Murderers Have A Similarly Negative Influence On Children.

Crowley: “From A Conservative Perspective,” Obama’s Re-Election “Was A National Suicide.”

Crowley Called 2011 Shooting Of Rep. Gabby Giffords A “Personal Tragedy … Not A National Tragedy,” Dismissed Memorial Service For Slain As An Obama Campaign Rally.

Crowley: Syrian Refugee Crisis “Is Not A Migrant Crisis. This Is An Invasion.”