Government-backed group acknowledges targeting Trump, silencing conservative outlets: Critics warn of free speech erosion
By willowt // 2025-05-22
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  • The Global Disinformation Index (GDI), a U.K.-based nonprofit funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars through the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), admitted to suppressing Donald Trump’s social media influence and causing a $100 million loss in advertising revenue for conservative news outlets under the guise of combating "disinformation."
  • Despite NED's claim that GDI was funded to combat misinformation abroad, internal documents reveal GDI's focus on undermining domestic media platforms like the New York Post, Newsmax and The Daily Wire, which were labeled "high-risk" and placed on GDI’s "Dynamic Exclusion List."
  • GDI partnered with U.S. ad tech firms and organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center to "disrupt the financial incentive structure" of disapproved media and document the "Online Funding Strategies of American Hate Groups," targeting conservative content.
  • GDI's rankings show a clear ideological bias, with conservative outlets disproportionately labeled "high-risk" and losing revenue, while left-leaning outlets received "minimum-risk" ratings. Critics warn of a chilling effect on free speech and the weaponization of "disinformation" crackdowns against conservative voices.
  • GDI's methods are spreading globally, raising concerns about the erosion of free press and the normalization of censorship. Advocates urge accountability for NED and its allies, emphasizing the importance of upholding the First Amendment and preventing the infringement of free speech rights.
Freshly disclosed documents reveal that the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), a U.K.-based nonprofit funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars, admitted to suppressing Donald Trump’s social media influence and stripping $100 million in advertising revenue from conservative news outlets under the guise of combating “disinformation.” The revelations, made public by the watchdog group Protect the Public’s Trust, underscore a stark contradiction between GDI’s public promises to target foreign propaganda and its actual domestic focus. The findings, detailed in quarterly reports to the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), paint a picture of a taxpayer-backed censorship machine increasingly weaponized against right-leaning media. The controversy centers on NED’s $1.25 million grant to GDI’s U.S. affiliate, the AN Foundation, between 2021 and 2023. While NED maintained it funded GDI solely to combat misinformation abroad, internal memos cited GDI’s success in pre−emptively undermining domestic media platforms like the New York Post, Newsmax and The Daily Wire — all labeled “high−risk” by the group. These outlets were placed on GDI’s “Dynamic Exclusion List,” shared with major advertisers such as Microsoft and Netflix, leading to an estimated $100 million revenue loss over 15 months.

Taxpayer dollars, domestic targets

GDI’s progress reports to NED openly celebrate its role in crippling American media. In one update, it highlighted a New York Times article citing its research on the “dramatic drop in reach” of Trump’s social media messages following his removal from platforms like Twitter. Another report promoted a collaboration with the far-left Southern Poverty Law Center to document the “Online Funding Strategies of American Hate Groups,” a project targeting conservative content. Michael Chamberlain, director of Protect the Public’s Trust, called the documents “proof that the U.S. government was, and remains, weaponizing taxpayer funds to silence dissent.” He noted that GDI’s work echoed broader “Censorship-Industrial Complex” tactics, such as the defunct Disinformation Governance Board (DGB), which critics accused of politicizing fact-checking during the Biden administration. NED, which denied any involvement in domestic initiatives, severed ties with GDI in February 2023, claiming it “recently became aware” of its U.S. targeting. But the unearthed records show GDI’s domestic focus was ongoing for years. A March 2022 report notes partnerships with U.S. ad tech firms to “disrupt the financial incentive structure” of disapproved media.

Silencing the right, elevating the left

GDI’s rankings reveal a stark ideological divide. Conservative outlets losing revenue were disproportionately placed on its “high-risk” list, while left-leaning outlets like the New York Times and ProPublica received “minimum-risk” ratings. Analysts argue this reflects systemic bias. “They’re code-wording censorship of conservative voices as ‘combating disinformation,’” said Mike Benz, founder of the Foundation for Freedom Online. The stakes extend beyond finances. Critics warn of a chilling effect on free speech, particularly as Biden’s administration and allied groups have weaponized “disinformation” crackdowns against outlets like Infowars, while shielding aligned narratives. Former disinformation czar Nina Jankowicz faced backlash for dismissing the New York Post’s Hunter Biden laptop story as foreign-driven “fairy tales” — despite its independent reporting.

Broader implications: Global models and shrinking free press

GDI’s methods are now spreading. The U.S. State Department’s shuttered Global Engagement Center (GEC), which funded GDI, touted its models to allies overseas. Harvard’s Shorenstein Center, backed by tech giants like Google, and the World Health Organization’s AI-driven rumor control initiatives further blur fact-checking with partisan agendas. The GDI scandal forces a debate over free speech under digital authoritarianism. “If a UK group funded by NED can starve U.S. newsrooms to death because they don’t parrot the party line, what freedoms remain?” Chamberlain asked.

Americans’ First Amendment rights confront censorship’s new frontier

The GDI revelations underscore a paradigm shift: U.S. taxpayer money is subsidizing global censorship mechanisms that disproportionately target conservative voices. Astech firms and governments increasingly align to redefine “truth,” the line between combating misinformation and suppressing dissent grows perilously thin. Free press advocates urge accountability for NED and its allies, warning that allowing such infringement risks normalizing tactics akin to authoritarian regimes. In an era where even honest debate is framed as a “disinformation virus,” the battle over who controls the narrative will define democracy itself. “The government can’t censor its way to public trust—it’s the First Amendment or nothing,” Benz concluded. Sources for this article include: ReclaimTheNet.org JustTheNews.com ProtectPublicTrust.org
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