Nina Jankowicz to battle immigration smugglers, Russian disinformation

If you only saw Nina Jankowicz’s viral video on social media, you would think she was auditioning for a role in a Broadway musical. Instead, she is in line to lead the Department of Homeland Security’s Disinformation Governance Board.

You can just call me the Mary Poppins of disinformation 💁🏻‍♀️ https://t.co/eGV9lpctYn pic.twitter.com/WVQFA2bPmq

— Nina Jankowicz (@wiczipedia) February 17, 2021

Jankowicz is the author of “How To Lose the Information War,” a former researcher at centrist think tank the Wilson Center, and a former advisor to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry. According to DHS, Jankowicz will focus on two issues as executive director of the disinformation board: immigration and Russia. 

First, Jankowicz is expected to crack down on campaigns by smugglers targeting migrants at the southern border. She is also tasked with combating Russians attempting to sow disinformation about American elections, COVID-19, and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Florida Gov. Ron Desantis (R) compared the board to George Orwell’s dystopian novel titled “1984.”

 “It’s basically a ministry of truth, and what they want to do is be able to put out false narratives without people being able to speak out and fight back,” Desantis said. 

Conservatives on Capitol Hill have also questioned Jankowicz’s views on controversial topics online. 

“No matter what unfounded theories justify Putin’s war in Ukraine, and believe me, I’ve seen all sorts of theories in my TikTok comments over the past few days, none of which are based in fact,” Jankowicz said in a TikTok post. 

On Apr. 28, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) pressed Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about Jankowicz’s political views during a Department of Homeland Security House subcommittee hearing.

“Is this the same individual that said the dossier [The Steele dossier, which claimed that Donald Trump worked with the Russians to win the 2016 presidential election] was real and the Hunter Biden laptop story was false? Is that the individual that’s running the disinformation governance board,” Rep. Jordan asked.

“I’m not familiar with those statements,” Mayorkas responded. 

“It’s been reported widely,” Rep. Jordan said.