‘This Is MAGA Airspace’: Satirical Post On Sneezing Flight Attendants Dupes NYT Reporter

A popular political Twitter account published a clearly satirical, Jussie Smollett-style post marking the end of the Biden administration’s transportation mask mandate.

The tweet somehow duped a New York Times reporter, who messaged the Twitter user, Jared Rabel, asking for an interview.

“I boarded a plane today with my son and mid flight, the pilot announces that the mask mandate is over,” Rabel posted Monday night. “Flight attendants pulled off their masks and sneezed directly into their hands while screaming ‘this is MAGA airspace.’ My son turned to me in tears. I don’t know what to do.”

The tweet mocks actor and convicted race hoaxer Jussie Smollett’s claim that he was attacked by Trump supporters in Chicago who screamed, “This is MAGA country!” It also pokes fun at liberals’ routine of using their children to make a political point, typically with unbelievable stories.

For good measure, Rabel added that his “cash app” was in his bio if anyone wanted to donate to his son’s “legal defense fund,” since Rabel would be “suing for intentional infliction of emotional distress.”

Wow so this blew up, cash app is in the bio for my son’s legal defense fun. We are suing for intentional infliction of emotional distress

— Jared Rabel (@JradRabel) April 19, 2022

New York Times journalist Victoria Kim, though, was on the case.

“Hi Jared, I’m a New York Times journalist, I’d love to speak to you over the phone about what happened on your flight this evening,” Kim messaged Rabel. “Can you please give me a call at [redacted] or let me know how I can reach you?”

Rabel publicly posted his reply, too, telling the reporter her contacting him about a clearly satirical post made him question how many untrue accounts the Times has reported on in the past.

“Hello Victoria, I would love to discuss the incident at your earliest convenience,” Rabel wrote to Kim. “I was pretty upset about the whole thing. Unfortunately it’s satire that only someone at the NYT would believe.”

“In my time of contemplation, I was wondering how your team deals with the multitude of false stories that you peddle out daily to use as political propaganda,” Rabel slammed the Times.

He also asked Kim if she “could give me advice on how to take my satire to the next level.”

In a follow-up tweet, Rabel added, “For those asking, this is 100% legit. I’m as surprised as you.”

Just got messaged by a NYT journalist about my previous tweet. This is what happened. pic.twitter.com/Dr5fHBnLCm

— Jared Rabel (@JradRabel) April 19, 2022

U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle on Monday vacated the Biden administration’s mask mandate on public transportation.

“Because our system does not permit agencies to act unlawfully even in pursuit of desirable ends, the court declares unlawful and vacates the mask mandate,” the federal judge wrote.

The ruling sparked real outrage from some on the Left, who not only complained about the ruling, but targeted Mizelle.

Related: Leftists Target 35-Year-Old Female Judge Who Blocked Mask Mandate, Comment On Age

The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies for breaking news, investigative reporting, sports, podcasts, in-depth analysis, books, and entertainment for a reason: because we believe in what we do. We believe in our country, in the value of truth and the freedom to speak it, and in the right to challenge tyranny wherever we see it. Believe the same? Become a member now and join our mission.