Secretary of State Marco Rubio announces closure of the Global Engagement Center amid concerns it was silencing conservative American voices rather than focusing on foreign disinformation threats.
At a Glance
- The Trump administration has shut down the Global Engagement Center (GEC), citing free speech concerns and alleged censorship of American viewpoints
- The GEC, established under Obama in 2016 to counter terrorist propaganda, faced accusations of creating “blacklists” for conservative media outlets
- Secretary Rubio stated the agency, costing taxpayers over $50 million annually, “actively silenced American voices”
- Congress defunded the GEC in December by excluding it from a spending bill
- Critics warn the closure leaves America vulnerable to foreign disinformation campaigns from Russia, China, and Iran
Obama-Era Agency Shuttered Over Free Speech Concerns
The Trump administration has officially closed the State Department’s Global Engagement Center (GEC), an agency established by former President Barack Obama in 2016. Initially created to counter foreign terrorist propaganda, the center later expanded its mission to address disinformation campaigns. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the closure, citing serious concerns about the center’s activities in recent years, particularly allegations that it had overstepped its mandate by targeting American citizens and media outlets rather than focusing exclusively on foreign threats.
The GEC had come under increasing scrutiny from Republican lawmakers after reports emerged that it funded organizations like the Global Disinformation Index, which allegedly created “blacklists” targeting conservative media outlets. These blacklists reportedly categorized right-leaning websites as spreaders of false information, potentially affecting their advertising revenue and online reach. Several conservative outlets, including The Daily Wire and The Federalist, filed lawsuits against the State Department in 2023, claiming First Amendment violations stemming from the GEC’s activities.
Defunding and Direction Change
Congress effectively sealed the GEC’s fate in December when lawmakers excluded the center from a spending bill, cutting off its funding stream. This legislative action followed mounting concerns about the center’s activities and direction. According to official statements, the closure aligns with broader administration efforts to reduce what they view as government overreach in monitoring speech. The shutdown also includes the Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference hub, which was the last State Department office specifically dedicated to monitoring foreign disinformation campaigns.
“Under the previous administration, this office, which cost taxpayers more than $50 million per year, spent millions of dollars to actively silence and censor the voices of Americans they were supposed to be serving.” – Marco Rubio.
In explaining the administration’s new approach, Rubio emphasized that future spending will prioritize pro-American messaging and protecting free speech globally. Approximately 40 employees from the former agency will be reassigned or dismissed. The administration has also issued an executive order on “countering censorship and restoring freedom of speech,” underscoring its position that previous misinformation efforts had infringed upon fundamental speech rights protected by the Constitution.
Critics Warn of Vulnerability to Foreign Influence
Not everyone views the closure as a positive development. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, condemned the decision, warning that it potentially benefits adversaries like Russia and China. Critics argue that without dedicated resources to counter foreign disinformation, the United States has effectively disarmed itself in the face of sophisticated influence operations from hostile nations. These concerns come at a time when Russia, Iran, and China are reportedly investing heavily in information warfare capabilities.
“This is the functional equivalent of unilateral disarmament. If we remove our defenses against Russian and Chinese information warfare, it’s just to their advantage. That’s called unilateral disarmament.” – James Rubin.
Defenders of the closure counter that the GEC had strayed far from its original mission. They point to evidence suggesting the center had begun targeting domestic voices rather than focusing on foreign threats. Secretary Rubio specifically noted that by 2020, the GEC had transformed into “going after individual American voices.” The administration maintains that free speech itself is the most effective counter to disinformation, and that government agencies should not be in the business of determining what constitutes acceptable speech for American citizens.
