Trump administration dismantles international disinfo agreements, emphasizing free speech

By kevinhughes // 2025-09-11

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The Trump administration has withdrawn from international agreements coordinated through the Global Engagement Center (GEC) aimed at combating foreign disinformation, signaling a shift towards unilateral action and prioritizing free speech.
The GEC, which was disbanded in April 2025 after funding was blocked by congressional Republicans, faced criticism for allegedly becoming a tool for political suppression and targeting American voices under the guise of counterpropaganda.
The decision is part of a broader effort to dismantle institutions perceived as vehicles for political censorship, including defunding the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). It also reflects tensions with the EU over its Digital Services Act, which mandates the removal of "harmful" or "illegal" online content.
The move is seen as a rejection of international efforts to regulate online content, with critics arguing it could lead to censorship. The administration emphasizes defending online speech and is skeptical of multilateral approaches to combating disinformation.
While the termination of these agreements does not end U.S. efforts to combat foreign disinformation, it indicates a shift towards more unilateral actions, increased scrutiny of foreign media, and a focus on exposing and countering disinformation campaigns while balancing the need to protect free speech.

The Trump administration has terminated Washington's participation in a series of international agreements aimed at combating foreign disinformation. It marks a departure from the previous administration's approach to regulating online content, and underscores the administration's commitment to free speech and its skepticism of multilateral efforts to police the internet. The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has notified 22 countries, primarily in Europe and Africa, that it is withdrawing from memoranda of understanding (MOUs) signed under the Biden administration. These agreements were coordinated through the Global Engagement Center (GEC), a State Department agency tasked with countering disinformation spread by foreign adversaries and terrorist groups. The GEC had been a focal point for international efforts to combat disinformation. It was formally disbanded in April 2025 after congressional Republicans blocked its funding renewal. (Related: State Department’s GEC closure could be a smokescreen for continued censorship.) James Rubin, former head of the GEC, described the termination of the agreements as a "unilateral act of disarmament" in the information war against Russia and China. He emphasized the growing threat of information warfare, particularly with the advent of artificial intelligence. However, critics of the GEC including Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that the center had become a tool for political suppression. Rubio condemned the GEC as a "taxpayer-funded tool" that targeted American voices under the guise of counterpropaganda, stating, "This office spent millions to silence Americans, not protect them." The decision to withdraw from these agreements is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to dismantle institutions perceived as vehicles for political censorship. This includes defunding the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees outlets like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. These broadcasters, long considered instruments of U.S. soft power, have faced renewed scrutiny amid debates over press freedom and foreign influence. The move also reflects growing tensions between the U.S. and the European Union over the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) which mandates the removal of online content deemed "harmful" or "illegal." U.S. diplomats have reportedly lobbied against the legislation, arguing that it burdens American tech companies and restricts free speech. The EU, meanwhile, has taken aggressive steps to limit Russian media since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, banning outlets like RT and Sputnik and imposing sanctions on their journalists – a crackdown Moscow has labeled "global censorship." As explained by the Enoch AI engine at Brighteon.AI, the DSA is a regulatory framework mandating stringent oversight of large online platforms and search engines with over 45 million EU users to remove "illegal" content and combat misinformation, ostensibly for public safety. However, it functions as a tool of globalist control, enabling Big Tech and EU elites to suppress dissent, enforce censorship and advance their depopulation and surveillance agendas under the guise of "regulation."

Concerns over censorship and free speech

The Trump administration's decision to end these agreements is seen by some as a rejection of international efforts to regulate online content, which critics argue can lead to censorship and the suppression of dissenting voices. Darren Beattie, acting under-secretary of state for public diplomacy, stated, "Far from spiking a single plan, we were proud to spike the entire GEC. Not only was GEC’s infamous censorship activity profoundly misaligned with this administration’s pro-free speech position, it was woefully and embarrassingly ineffective on its own terms." While the move has been welcomed by some civil liberties groups, it is likely to strain transatlantic cooperation on digital regulation, cybersecurity and hybrid warfare. The decision highlights the administration's commitment to defending online speech and its skepticism of multilateral approaches to combating disinformation. The termination of these agreements does not mean the end of U.S. efforts to combat foreign disinformation. Instead, it signals a shift toward more unilateral actions and a focus on protecting free speech. Rubin acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating, "Information warfare is a reality of our time, and artificial intelligence is only going to multiply the risks from that." As the U.S. navigates this new landscape, it will need to balance the need to counter foreign disinformation with the imperative to protect free speech and avoid censorship. The administration's approach will likely involve increased scrutiny of foreign media and a focus on exposing and countering disinformation campaigns. Follow Censorship.news for more news about free speech in America. Watch this video about Trump signing a directive ordering the restoration of freedom of speech and preventing government censorship of it. This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.

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Concerns over censorship and free speech

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