US State Department directs embassies to counter foreign propaganda using Elon Musk’s X platform

Consensus Summary

The US State Department under Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a directive on March 29, 2024, instructing all American embassies and consulates to launch coordinated campaigns against foreign propaganda. The cable, obtained by the Guardian, explicitly endorses Elon Musk’s X platform and its Community Notes feature as a tool to counter disinformation while preserving free speech and privacy. The directive frames foreign disinformation—particularly from Iran, Russia, and China—as a direct threat to US national security, aiming to shift blame, sow division among allies, and undermine American economic and political interests. Embassies are tasked with five key goals: countering hostile messaging, expanding information access, exposing adversary behavior, amplifying local pro-American voices, and promoting narratives supportive of US interests. Notably, the cable instructs embassies to collaborate with the US military’s Psychological Operations unit (MISO) and to visibly brand US foreign assistance to distinguish it from adversarial propaganda. The move follows the dissolution of previous US programs like the Global Engagement Center and the FBI’s foreign influence taskforce, signaling a renewed focus on countering disinformation through diplomatic and military channels. The endorsement of X comes amid regulatory scrutiny, as the EU recently fined the platform €120 million for deceptive practices under the Digital Services Act.