Associated Press Says Pine Island Bridge Not Rebuilt One Day After Its Rebuilding

Recently, Gov. Ron DeSantis announces the Pine Island bridge being rebuilt in an extraordinarily fast three days. The next day, the Associated Press tweets a video about the damage to Pine Island that Hurricane Ian wrought. While the video focuses on the positive of Pine Island residents coming to each other's aid, the tweet and video notably say that residents are "hoping the lone bridge to the mainland is repaired" and "Pine Island... is largely cut off from the outside world."

"Following Hurricane Ian's destruction, many residents on Florida's Pine Island have stayed put for days without electricity and other resources while hoping the lone bridge to the mainland is repaired," the Associated Press' full tweet reads.

As reiterated, the bridge is fully operational since yesterday.

While it is always possible AP is simply slow to report on the bridge's rebuilding, as some on Twitter accuse the organization of being, others contend this is another instance of "legacy" media deliberately attempting to make Governor DeSantis look bad.

Deputy Press Secretary Jeremy Redfern is of the former camp, saying the Associated Press would "know this if you actually kept up with the news."

"The temporary bridge is up. Critical supplies and emergency vehicles are going across. You'd know this if you actually kept up with the news," Redfern tweets.

DeSantis War Room suggests that because the initial video is four days old, its posting is deliberate, calling the Associated Press "American Pravda."

"Hi, American Pravda (AP's full name). Why are you still promoting a story from 4 DAYS AGO? Since then, Gov. DeSantis & FDOT opened a temporary bridge to allow critical supplies, emergency vehicles, and linemen to get to Pine Island. @AmyForliti @JuliePace Where's your update?" DeSantis War Room asks.

Lastly, Rapid Response Director Christina Pushaw picks up on the "American Pravda" insult by DeSantis War Room, reminding us that "the purpose of propaganda isn't to convince you of something. It's to demoralize you."

"Remember, the real purpose of propaganda isn't to convince you of something. It's to demoralize you. America is in the final years of the Soviet era, and AP is Pravda," Pushaw tweets.

The Associated Press has since deleted the tweet.