President Donald Trump and his allies are ramping up attacks against so-called "cancel culture," the supposed phenomenon in which individuals revoke support or voice opposition to entities or other individuals whose values they feel are harmful.
As recently as Friday, the President used calls for the removal of confederate statues and monuments as an example of cancel culture.
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany continued that rhetoric on Friday, using the kids' television cartoon PAW Patrol—which follows six rescue pups, some of whom are police and other law enforcement canines—as an example.
Watch below.
Press Sec. Kayleigh McEnany: "Paw Patrol, a cartoon show about cops, was canceled. The show 'Cops' was canceled. 'L… https://t.co/3yYfgFgUPk— The Hill (@The Hill) 1595616577.0
McEnany said:
"[The President] is also appalled by cancel culture, and cancel culture specifically as it pertains to cops. We saw a few weeks ago that PAW Patrol, a cartoon show about cops, was canceled. The show 'Cops' was canceled. 'Live PD' was canceled. Lego halted the sales of their Lego city police station."
PAW Patrol is, in fact, still on the air, as the show's official Twitter account soon pointed out.
No need to worry. PAW Patrol is not canceled. 🐶— PAW Patrol (@PAW Patrol) 1595622148.0
Nick Jr., the network which hosts the cartoon, corrected the White House as well.
Paw Patrol is not canceled.— Nick Jr. (@Nick Jr.) 1595621399.0
So where did McEnany get the idea that the show was canceled? Here's some context.
In the midst of protests against the murder of George Floyd by police, PAW Patrol's Twitter account announced last month that they would be joining other social media accounts in temporarily muting their own posts to amplify those of Black accounts, which often get suppressed by accounts with greater followings.
The account posted the tweet on June 2.
In solidarity of #amplifymelanatedvoices we will be muting our content until June 7th to give access for Black voic… https://t.co/72Lluc4gPW— PAW Patrol (@PAW Patrol) 1591104101.0
In light of the tweet and growing calls to abolish or cut funding for the police, Twitter users began jokingly calling for the cancellation of PAW Patrol.
after we abolish the police it’s time to defeat the paw patrol once and for all https://t.co/dv5dAiFXNy— carolyn (@carolyn) 1591681920.0
Chase from Paw Patrol been pretty quiet this week 👀 https://t.co/3g7UH2ixsC— Regan Thee Stallion (@Regan Thee Stallion) 1591335239.0
Nevertheless, numerous conservative outlets took the satirical tweets as genuine, and began lamenting calls to cancel PAW Patrol as yet another example of the threat posed by cancel culture.
McEnany apparently did the same.
At least 150,000 have died & 4 Million have been infected yet the feckless @PressSec is spewing about Paw Patrol. https://t.co/wzB6vS9nqq— William Miller (@William Miller) 1595620247.0
147k people are dead & the leader of the free world is upset that the children’s cartoon show ‘Paw Patrol’ is cance… https://t.co/sA9Q47W2mJ— Jordan Mei (@Jordan Mei) 1595619908.0
Can't believe that my 5 year old nephew had to fact check the White House press secretary. Paw patrol isn't canceled.— Covie (@Covie) 1595621285.0
As a parent I can attest that Paw Patrol is the bane of my existence and still very much on air.— Krystal Ball (@Krystal Ball) 1595614881.0
People found it hilarious and sad that PAW Patrol had to correct a claim by the White House.
The Trump administration being called out by Paw Patrol is peak 2020 https://t.co/NwZfCulxMm— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch.com) 1595623151.0
Trump’s America is @pawpatrol having to fact check @PressSec for her lies.— Bradley P. Moss (@Bradley P. Moss) 1595623491.0
It is beyond insane that PAW PATROL, of all things, had to release a statement correcting the White House Press Sec… https://t.co/7F2b7MFdJS— Matthew Chapman (@Matthew Chapman) 1595623305.0
The PAW Patrol feature film is expected to come out next year.