A South Carolina firearms retailer reports higher gun and ammunition sales after a social media rumor of a 90-day national power outage, though no credible evidence supports such a blackout. John JC Castillo of Stock Pile Tactical said inventory including pistols has sold out as buyers also purchase water. Warehouse workers in the Augusta area have noticed more shoppers filling carts with long-shelf-life food, bottled water, spare fuel, and batteries.

The rumor appears tied to Secretary Pete Hegseth's FORTRESS America plan, which would require military bases and defense agencies to operate independently for at least 90 days after cyberattack, sabotage, or major disaster. Shopper Kayla Fairchild said she first saw urgent TikTok clips warning of coming blackouts and has since stocked water and food while remaining uneasy about overpreparing.