State Department Scrambles to Kill $100M Censorship Scheme Before Trump’s Return

The State Department’s $100 million Global Engagement Center (GEC) is teetering on the edge of shutdown, with insiders revealing plans to “realign” its operations. But make no mistake—this is not a clean burial. Instead, it’s a strategic reshuffling of staff and resources to keep the machinery of censorship alive, cloaked under new banners. The timing of this scramble? Deliberate. With Trump poised to reclaim the White House, the establishment appears desperate to avoid exposure of what many are calling a taxpayer-funded propaganda network. Unmasking the Censorship Cartel In a Monday court filing, the State Department admitted the GEC is “substantially likely” to close. This comes on the heels of a lawsuit spearheaded by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, alongside conservative media outlets, who unearthed a damning “dynamic exclusion list.” This blacklist, compiled under the guise of countering “disinformation,” targeted media outlets critical of the establishment, depriving them of ad revenue by funneling the list to ad-tech firms like Microsoft’s Xandr. At the heart of the controversy is how the GEC, originally conceived as a tool to combat foreign disinformation, morphed into an apparatus for domestic censorship. The Twitter Files—released by Elon Musk—revealed that GEC-funded groups like the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab created blacklists of accounts allegedly tied to foreign disinformation campaigns. These lists were handed to Twitter, which promptly deactivated the accounts. But the real story? Many of these accounts weren’t foreign operatives—they were Americans dissenting from establishment narratives. Democrats Double Down on Defense Despite the mountain of evidence pointing to abuse, Democrats fought tooth and nail to renew the GEC’s $100 million budget. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who penned the 2016 legislation that birthed the GEC, claimed it was indispensable for combating Russian and Chinese disinformation. Murphy’s argument conveniently ignores the GEC’s documented focus on stifling domestic conservative voices rather than addressing legitimate foreign threats. From Propaganda to Profit The GEC didn’t stop at censorship—it monetized it. Federalist senior legal correspondent Margot Cleveland revealed that the GEC actively marketed its blacklist products to private tech firms. This unholy alliance between government and Big Tech created a censorship-industrial complex that leveraged public funds to crush dissent under the guise of “safeguarding democracy.” Adding to the firestorm is the involvement of FBI agent Elvis Chan, who appeared as a key player in the censorship machine. The Twitter Files exposed Chan’s frequent communications with social media firms, pressuring them to silence voices challenging establishment orthodoxy. The Coming Reckoning The lawsuit spearheaded by Texas AG Ken Paxton could set a powerful precedent. While the GEC’s closure might seem like a win, its reallocation of resources raises questions about whether the censorship agenda will simply resurface in another form. Monday’s court filing hinted at ongoing discussions about how this impacts the broader legal fight. Elon Musk called the GEC “the worst offender in the U.S. government” when it comes to censorship and media manipulation, and with good reason. The agency’s actions reveal a dangerous pattern: weaponizing taxpayer dollars to undermine constitutional freedoms. Legacy of Corruption The GEC's inception was cloaked in noble intentions: countering foreign influence. But history is riddled with examples of noble causes weaponized for power. The GEC has become a textbook example of mission creep, expanding its reach into domestic politics and weaponizing disinformation labels to target dissenters. As the clock ticks down to Trump’s return, the establishment appears hellbent on shielding its mechanisms of control. Shutting down the GEC is not an act of accountability; it’s a strategic pivot to ensure the infrastructure of censorship survives under different guises. Image Description: A shadowy bureaucratic office with stacks of cash, confidential files labeled "Censorship Network," and monitors displaying blacklists of websites. A silhouetted figure stands in the background, symbolizing the unseen power brokers pulling the strings. Let the games begin—2024 is shaping up to be the year where freedom faces its ultimate test.

State Department Scrambles to Kill $100M Censorship Scheme Before Trump’s Return

Bill Brocius Dec 13

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