Florida Republican Draws Criticism for Posting Photo of ‘Baby Formula’ at Federal Facility That’s Mostly Apple Sauce

Trump Trade Policy Partly to Blame

A Republican U.S. Congresswoman from Florida is being criticized after tweeting a photo she says is “baby formula,” taken inside a federal immigration processing center. There is a nationwide baby formula shortage thanks to manufacturer recalls after infants died in bacteria-related infections traced to formula, along with price-gouging, supply chain issues, hoarding, and a “very dramatic decline in rates of breastfeeding,” all of which have sent many parents scrambling.

Republicans are making clear their playbook is now to blame President Joe Biden for practically any problem in the country, regardless of who or what is actually to blame.

That includes the baby formula shortage, an issue that any president, regardless of party, has almost zero control over, especially in a capitalist economic system. Unlike using the Defense Production Act to require manufacturers to make military jets or COVID personal protective equipment, there is no law that would allow a president to take over the manufacturing of baby formula.

Rep. Kat Cammack, one of the youngest Republican women to serve in Congress, however, saw an opportunity to make a name for herself and grabbed it.

She posted a photo of what she described as “Shelves and pallets packed with baby formula” at the federal government’s “Ursula” Central Processing Center, the largest U.S. Customs and Border Protection detention center for undocumented immigrants, in McAllen, Texas.

She also posted a photo of what she says is “a shelf right here at home.”

The first photo is from this morning at the Ursula Processing Center at the U.S. border. Shelves and pallets packed with baby formula.

The second is from a shelf right here at home. Formula is scarce.

This is what America last looks like. pic.twitter.com/OO0V99njoy

— Kat Cammack (@Kat_Cammack) May 11, 2022

As many pointed out, the photo of “Shelves and pallets packed with baby formula” is mostly apple sauce.

“This is what America last looks like,” added Cammack, who served as far-right extremist Congressman Ted Yoho’s deputy chief of staff until he retired.

Republicans have been attacking the Biden administration, demanding the President not allow undocumented immigrants to be released. If the federal government is going to house undocumented immigrants, they are also required to feed them, and that includes babies.

“This is being played up big by Fox and other right-wing outlets today to bash the Biden White House,” CNN’s Oliver Darcy notes. “Obviously the formula shortage is a big problem, but what are they suggesting here? Not to provide parents detained at the border and in US custody with food for their babies?”

Right wingers on Twitter expressed outrage, with one saying, “Plenty of formula….for illegals.” Another declaring, “Biden failing America again, or should i say Meximerica? Let’s Go Brandon !” Some expected the Biden administration to somehow manufacture baby formula, which would be socialism.

None thought to blame Donald Trump, but as The Atlantic reports Thursday, “under President Donald Trump, the U.S. entered into a new North American trade agreement that actively discourages formula imports from our largest trading partner, Canada.”

Many on social media were quick to correct the Florida Republican:

So…here’s @Kat_Cammack’s photo of “shelves and paletts packed with [checks photo] ‘Apple sauce’”. pic.twitter.com/RE2a2P8ALc

— Teapot Dome was Amateur Hour!🇺🇦 (@HarrenGWarding) May 12, 2022

Look at you being all mad that babies at the border (if this is true) have food available.
I thought y’all were all in for capitalism, you know, companies putting off equip maintenance so they can buy back stocks until it becomes a health issue.

— Sterling Rose 🇺🇸 (@SterlingRose62) May 12, 2022

Lying in this matter – ie: bearing false witness – violates the most basic tenets of Judeo-Christian faith: the prohibition of lying about others.

And to do so for cheap political points shall cost you the Kingdom of Heaven.

Think about that when you pray.

— Raymond J. Mollica (@RaymondMollica) May 12, 2022

you know that companies produce baby formula? that there was a recall because it was harming babies? i’m sorry that you can’t find formula, but this is not any governments fault.

— LM-Entertainment 🇦🇺 (@LMentertain) May 12, 2022

So wait… you want the government to nationalize the baby food industry?

I thought the GOP was all about govt not getting involved in private industry? Free market and all that? Why don’t you get on the phone w/the producers of baby formula and find out why they aren’t shipping

— Malfurious (@PMalfurious) May 12, 2022