Chinese state media outlet China Global Television Network (CGTN) has been forced into an embarrassing climbdown after a National Pulse exposé into “security analyst” Hannan Hussain and his fraudulent credentials from the London School of Economics.

Hussain authored an article “here’s why Steve Bannon can’t be trusted,” using mainstream media tactics to smear the former White House Chief strategist, War Room: Pandemic podcast host, and staunch Chinese Communist Party critic, part of Chinese state media outlets – controlled entirely by the CCP – coordinated assault against Bannon.

The National Pulse first reported on the story to highlight how the CCP was taking aim at Bannon, but later discovered that one of the authors they were using to do so, had a fake bio.

CGTN banked on Hussain’s alleged ties to the prestigious university to grant credibility to his CCP puff piece; establishment media wouldn’t report on it, so The National Pulse picked up their slack.

His bio for the article “Hannan Hussain is a security analyst at the London School of Economics – South Asia Centre, and an author” was debunked by the LSE itself: “Hussain is not a ‘Security Analyst’ with LSE South Asia Centre nor does he hold any other position at LSE. The position of ‘Security Analyst’ does not even exist at LSE. Mr Hussain has merely published two blog posts previously, as have hundreds of other individuals.”

@HannanHussain7 is not a 'Security Analyst' with LSE South Asia Centre nor does he hold any other position at LSE. The position of ‘Security Analyst’ does not even exist @SAsiaLSE. Mr Hussain has merely published two blog posts previously, as have hundreds of other individuals.

— LSE South Asia Centre (@SAsiaLSE) May 4, 2020

And in Hussain’s most recent article “what the DHS report doesn’t tell,” attempts to debunk US officials’ report that the CCP covered up the coronavirus outbreak, chiefly to stockpile medical supplies – with no source links – his bio has been updated to reflect the exposé: “Hannan Hussain is an Assistant Researcher at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute, and an author. He is also an international affairs commentator for The Diplomat, a leading foreign policy magazine based in Washington”:

However, given CGTN and Hussain’s track record, we’re now investigating the newly alleged positions.

While CGTN has yet to go back to his previously published works or author page and make the adjustment, it’s clear CGTN – a registered foreign agent with distribution in over 100 countries – has taken note of our reporting.