Background on Rubio’s Stance

Marco Rubio, who was previously a strong advocate for addressing foreign disinformation campaigns, recently transitioned into a role that signals a significant policy shift. As of 2023, Rubio expressed support for reauthorizing funding for the Global Engagement Center (GEC) into the 2030s, noting that multiple countries, including Russia, Iran, China, North Korea, and Cuba, were disseminating disinformation in the United States.

In a notable September 2023 post, he emphasized the broad scope of foreign influence efforts, pointing out that misguiding information extends beyond traditional adversaries.

Policy Changes and the Disbanding of GEC

Upon his confirmation as Secretary of State, Rubio appeared to reverse his previous hardline stance on the GEC. He indicated that while the Department of State would persist in countering hostile propaganda, programs that could potentially infringe on American citizens’ free speech would be discontinued.

A spokesperson from the State Department stated that the disbanding of GEC was overdue, referencing the costs to taxpayers—approximately $50 million a year. They asserted that the initiative, originally aimed at combating terrorism, had been misused to censor American voices, a situation acknowledged even by long-term employees of the GEC.

The Impact of Rubio’s Decisions

For two months following the restructuring, the GEC, now rebranded and reduced in scope, narrowly avoided closure, but its staff anticipated inevitable cuts. Rubio underscored the definitive end of the GEC in a Federalist op-ed, asserting, “Whatever name it goes by, GEC is dead. It will not return.”

Future Directions and Accountability

During a livestreamed discussion with Mike Benz, a former State Department official critical of foreign assistance programs, Rubio was asked about the potential for a follow-up to the Twitter Files, specifically focusing on the GEC. He affirmed the intention to document the agency’s past operations.

Rubio further elaborated on plans for a “cross-jurisdictional” review aimed at identifying individuals affected by deplatforming due to disinformation campaigns, considering possible links between these actions and government influence or funding. He stated, “If we could somehow, with an internal review, create a linkage between some information that came from something the State Department paid for and an actual aggrieved party, that’s what’s important.”