Overview
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a cable sent Tuesday and reviewed by Reuters, told U.S. missions to fight anti-American propaganda by using X’s Community Notes, unspecified AI tools, and coordination with the Pentagon’s Psychological Operations units.
- The guidance set five goals that include countering hostile messaging, expanding access to reliable information, exposing adversary behavior, elevating local voices aligned with U.S. interests, and telling America’s story.
- Embassies were told to recruit local influencers and academics, boost visible U.S. branding on aid, expand American Spaces cultural centers, and translate trusted reporting to reach people in places where information is tightly controlled.
- A State Department spokesperson said countering foreign anti-American propaganda is a top priority, while the Pentagon and X and its owner xAI did not respond to requests for comment.
- Past military influence efforts have clashed with diplomatic norms, including Pentagon-run fake accounts that cast doubt on China’s COVID-19 vaccine, and X faces scrutiny over cutbacks to moderation, an EU transparency fine, and its ties to Elon Musk’s other companies.