Overview

• The State Department has permanently shut down its Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference hub (R/FIMI), eliminating all staff positions.
• Originally established in 2011 to counter terrorist propaganda, the office later shifted focus to combating domestic misinformation, sparking accusations of censorship against conservatives.
• Critics allege the agency used taxpayer funds to support third-party organizations like Global Disinformation Index and NewsGuard, which labeled certain news outlets as high-risk.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision as a step to protect free speech, citing the agency's alleged role in silencing American voices.
• The closure leaves the U.S. without a dedicated unit to counter foreign disinformation campaigns from adversaries such as Russia, China, and Iran.