U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced the closure of the Global Engagement Center (GEC) at the State Department, saying its activities were contrary to fundamental principles of free speech. Rubio announced this on his X page, UNN reports.
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"For the past decade, Americans have been slandered, fired, accused and even imprisoned simply for expressing their opinions. This ends today," Rubio wrote in his post.
Rubio stressed that the Center spent more than $50 million annually on activities that included censoring and suppressing the voices of Americans themselves.
"I am announcing the closure of the U.S. Department of State's unit to counter foreign information manipulation and interference, formerly the Global Engagement Center (GEC), which cost taxpayers more than $50 million a year and actively silenced and censored the voices of Americans it was supposed to serve," Rubio said.
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The Global Engagement Center (GEC) was established in 2016 within the structure of the U.S. Department of State. Its main stated goal was to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation, including from countries such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. The GEC's annual budget was $61 million, and its staff numbered about 120 people.
The GEC has long been the target of criticism from Republican politicians in Congress, who have accused it of censoring and spying on Americans. Elon Musk also criticized the center, calling it "a threat to our democracy" in 2023.
GEC leadership has rejected these accusations, calling its work important to combating foreign propaganda campaigns.
In fact, the Global Engagement Center ceased operations in late 2024, as no funds were budgeted for its funding. This is the first time in eight years that the State Department has been without a dedicated agency to track and counter disinformation from U.S. adversaries.
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The United States has suspended funding for a number of international programs in the areas of media, democracy, and combating disinformation.