WASHINGTON — The State Department has closed its initiative focused on tackling misinformation and disinformation allegedly spread by nations such as Russia, China, and Iran.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that he has shuttered the Global Engagement Center. He argued that the office had been overstepping its bounds by curtailing free speech within the United States and on the international stage.
The Global Engagement Center often found itself in the crosshairs of conservative critics due to its efforts in highlighting media and online content deemed biased or false. The center was also known for pinpointing U.S.-based websites and social media platforms that it believed were echoing misinformation, especially concerning the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“It is imperative for every government official to continuously strive to safeguard the freedom of Americans to exercise their right to free speech,” Rubio stated. He accused the office of actively working “to silence and censor the voices of Americans they were supposed to be serving.”
Rubio emphasized that such actions are contrary to the foundational principles “we should be upholding.”
Despite Rubio’s decision, the center had previously received backing from Congress as well as former State Department leaders.
Ned Price, a former spokesperson for the State Department, responded strongly to the closure. He described the shutting down of the organization as “a deeply misleading (and) unserious portrayal,” stressing that the center was primarily focused on identifying foreign, particularly Russian, disinformation operations.