US directs American embassies to wage campaign against foreign ‘hostility’ – with Musk’s help
Guardian1 day
Report: US Orders Embassies to Partner With Social Media to Combat Foreign 'Propaganda'
Is the State Department's anti-propaganda push a vital defense of democracy or just government-sponsored spin in disguise?
Above: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Bourget airport in Le Bourget, France, on March 27, 2026. Image credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Foreign governments are pouring billions into AI-driven propaganda to manipulate American voters and suppress American speech, and the State Department is right to fight back hard. Slapping visa restrictions on foreign censorship agents and threatening deportation sends a clear message that extraterritorial attacks on American platforms won't be tolerated. Waiting to act is a losing strategy — adversaries are already building the bot networks and narrative traps that will define the next election.
Establishment-critical narrative
Rubio's anti-propaganda push is rich hypocrisy when the administration's own social media behavior sows division among allies and attacks press freedom at home. Leaning on Musk's X and military psyops units to "counter narratives" is just state-sponsored spin dressed up as defense. The same playbook that sold the Iraq War — suppressing inconvenient facts, amplifying official lines — is alive and well, and Americans deserve to know how their government is curating truth.
Limited Coverage
This story currently has limited coverage. We will continue to monitor all major outlets and update our reporting as additional information becomes available.