Disinformation Claiming That American Soldiers Were Arrested For Spraying Chemtrails

On April 30, a video from The People’s Voice, dubbed in Russian, was circulated on Facebook, claiming that as a result of an operation by a chemtrail task force, two military personnel were arrested in Florida for spraying chemtrails and charged with illegal atmospheric manipulation and attacks on the environment and human rights. According to the host, Sean Adl-Tabatabai, Canadian politician Danielle Smith confirmed that American soldiers “are spraying chemtrails” over North America. Adl-Tabatabai also claims that Kristen Meghan, a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, studied chemtrails during her service and later began spreading information about their associated risks. The broadcast includes a segment of an interview with Meghan, portraying her as an environmental protection specialist.

Between April 25 and 28, the same information spread on Facebook in Russian, and on May 2 it was published on the Russian-language website Rainboway.info.

The circulated video contains conspiracy theories and false information about chemtrails: 1) Claims about chemtrails are conspiracy theories, and their existence is not supported by evidence; 2) There is no information in open sources about the creation of a “chemtrail task force” or arrests of military personnel as a result of their actions; 3) The Canadian politician has not accused the U.S. of spraying chemtrails in Canada; 4) Kristen Meghan is a self-proclaimed expert and has been spreading various conspiracy theories for years.

• Claims about chemtrails are conspiracy theories and do not correspond to reality

The claims that governments or military forces are dispersing various chemicals into the sky via airplanes and creating chemtrails are part of a conspiracy theory and do not reflect reality. The chemtrail conspiracy theory has been circulating since the 1990s and includes various allegations, such as claims that chemtrails are used for purposes like population reduction, mind control, causing diseases, spreading viruses, or distributing vaccines. In a comment to CNN, doctoral researcher Sijia Xiao of the University of California, who conducted a study on the chemtrail conspiracy theory, noted that there is no single version of the conspiracy theory and its followers choose which version they believe based on their personal views.

What conspiracy theorists call “chemtrails” are, in fact, contrails (condensation trails). These are line-shaped clouds that form when the exhaust from an aircraft causes water vapor in the air to condense. These clouds, known as contrails, consist essentially of ice crystals and are not harmful to human health. How long a contrail remains visible in the air depends on temperature and humidity. Contrails are a result of well-known physical processes and are not linked to the release of dangerous chemicals.

Because the chemtrail conspiracy theory has been circulating for years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a 14-page informational document. It states that conspiracy theories regarding so-called “chemtrails” and accusations against the U.S. Air Force about the dissemination of dangerous chemicals have been popular since 1996, and spreaders of these allegations often cite a study by the Air University that was related to weather modification experiments, was largely theoretical, and unrelated to the current activities or capabilities of the U.S. Air Force. The document clarifies that the focus of the U.S. Air Force is to observe and forecast the weather in order to provide accurate information for military operations and that the agency does not run any programs related to artificial weather modification. The document also explains in detail the mechanism of contrail formation and refutes the claims that chemtrails persist unnaturally long in the sky, form specific grid-like patterns suggesting systemic spraying, or correlate with outbreaks of illness in areas where they appear.

There are also scientific studies that debunk the existence of chemtrails and explain why the trails left by airplanes in the sky are the result of condensation and are contrails. In a 2016 interview with CBC News, then-Harvard professor David Keith also noted that if chemtrails were real, governments would not have the resources necessary to cover up such a large-scale conspiracy. According to Keith, governments might be able to keep small programs secret for a short time. In contrast, the core claims of the chemtrail conspiracy would require a tremendous amount of effort and the involvement of many people. Covering up such an operation without exposing real evidence would be impossible for decades.

Myth Detector has repeatedly published materials about the chemtrail conspiracy theory and related false claims.

• No information about the “Chemtrail Task Force” can be found in open or reliable sources

The program by The People’s Voice claims that as a result of the work of the “Chemtrail Task Force,” the truth was exposed and two military personnel were arrested in Florida for spraying chemtrails. However, no such information appears in any trustworthy media outlet. A search for the “Chemtrail Task Force” mainly yields social media posts. Similar claims were published on the website of American Media Group, which has a history of spreading false information. No official sources have reported this information. There is also no information about the formation of such a task force on the official website of the White House. Likewise, there has been no statement from the governor of Florida, the state’s attorney general, or the Department of Environmental Protection.

• The Canadian politician did not accuse the U.S. of spraying chemtrails

Canadian politician and Premier of Alberta, Danielle Smith, spoke about chemtrails at a United Conservative Party convention in Edmonton in 2024 when responding to a question. Smith said she had spoken to the person responsible for controlling the airspace, who told her that no one is allowed to “spray anything” in the air. After an unsatisfied reaction from the audience, she added that someone else had told her that if anyone could spray chemtrails, it would be the U.S. Department of Defense. However, she did not state that she believed this herself. Smith also noted that even if the U.S. Department of Defense was spraying chemtrails, there wouldn’t be much she could do as a local government leader. She also emphasized that her inquiries had not revealed any evidence of chemtrails.

Later, her spokesperson Savannah Johannsen provided further clarification, stating that Smith’s comments did not mean she believed in chemtrails or that the U.S. was responsible.

Johannsen: “The premier was simply sharing what she has heard from some folks over the summer on this issue. She was not saying that she believed the U.S. government was using chemtrails in Alberta. […] The premier has heard concerns from many Albertans about this topic. In response, the provincial government looked into the issue and found no evidence of chemtrails occurring in Alberta.”

• Kristen Meghan is a self-proclaimed expert who has spread conspiracy theories for years

Kristen Meghan, who appears in a short interview in The People’s Voice broadcast and is labeled a “scientist in environmental protection,” is not actually a scientist and has been spreading conspiracy theories on various topics for years.

Kristen Meghan (also known as Kristen Meghan Kelly) presents herself as an expert in multiple fields, and in addition to promoting the chemtrail conspiracy theory, she has also shared false claims and conspiracies about COVID-19 vaccines and face masks. She has also denied the 9/11 terrorist attacks, claiming that the attacks were not carried out by al-Qaeda but by the U.S. government itself. When discussing chemtrails, Kristen Meghan Kelly has described herself as an “industrial hygienist,” but according to The Daily Beast, she is not a certified industrial hygienist. Kelly herself has said that not having certification is a “personal choice.” In the U.S., industrial hygienists are responsible for implementing workplace health and safety guidelines issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Notably, The Daily Beast reported that Sue Marchese, managing director of the American Industrial Hygiene Association, stated that the title “senior industrial hygienist” does not exist. Kristen Meghan has also claimed to be a contributor to Alex Jones’s platform “Infowars.” This platform, as well as Alex Jones himself, actively promotes conspiracy theories in the U.S.

About the source:

The online outlet, The People’s Voice, publishes conspiracy content and frequently disseminates false information. It was founded in 2014 under the name YourNewsWire, rebranded as NewsPunch in 2017, and later renamed again to The People’s Voice. According to Poynter, by 2018 the website had published nearly 80 fake articles in the span of a year and a half. Myth Detector has debunked multiple disinformation claims originating from this site.

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