Overview

• The Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference hub (R/FIMI), formerly the Global Engagement Center (GEC), has been officially shut down by the State Department.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the decision was made to protect free speech, alleging the office improperly targeted American voices under the guise of combating disinformation.
• Originally established in 2011 to counter foreign terrorist propaganda, the GEC expanded its mission to include misinformation from foreign state actors but faced accusations of mission creep into domestic issues.
• Congress defunded the GEC in December 2024, and the Biden administration briefly rebranded it as R/FIMI before its final closure under the Trump administration.
• The closure leaves the State Department without a dedicated office to counter foreign disinformation campaigns from adversaries such as Russia, China, and Iran.