Viral X post of incoming US official Richard Grenell asking Pakistan army chief to resign is fake and edited

In the United States, Richard Grenell, an incoming official appointed by Donald Trump as envoy for special missions, became a focal point of controversy when false claims circulated about him calling for the resignation of Pakistan's Army Chief General Asim Munir. This misinformation spread rapidly through social media on January 9, 2025, particularly on platforms such as TikTok and Facebook, leading to significant public interest and engagement in both the United States and Pakistan. The context surrounding Grenell's comments stemmed from his vocal criticism of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass regarding her administration's handling of wildfires, particularly during a time when she was abroad. The circulated image, which falsely attributed the resignation request to Grenell, misinterpreted his original post that simply called for Mayor Bass to resign. The viral post, which gained extensive attention with over 112,800 views and more than 14,200 likes, showed a screenshot where Grenell's timely, yet simplistic statement was manipulated to create a narrative about the Pakistani military landscape. This miscommunication highlights the sensitivity around Grenell's growing popularity in Pakistan, where many citizens are closely following his commentary on local politics and the situation surrounding the former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Fact-checking efforts led by iVerify Pakistan confirmed that the edited post did not appear on Grenell's official social media account, where the actual post only mentioned Mayor Bass and did not reference any Pakistani military figure. Investigations into Grenell's comments indicated that he had been consistently critical of Bass and that his posts represented a growing concern over the management and impacts of wildfires in Los Angeles County, where substantial evacuations and destruction of property had occurred. The outcome of these events is significant, as Grenell's remarks and the subsequent misinterpretation by other social media users underline the risks of misinformation in today's digital landscape. As Grenell continues to engage with Pakistani politics, both governmental and opposition parties must navigate the complexities of his evolving narrative, which has garnered both support and opposition as it intersects with national sentiments in Pakistan regarding military and civilian leadership roles.