The State Department’s Censorship Arm // Mike Benz

Mike Benz | Trusted Newsmaker

The End of an Empire of Influence

In a move that flew under the radar of most mainstream outlets, the U.S. State Department recently dismantled its Global Engagement Center (GEC)—a once-sprawling web of censorship, influence, and soft-power operations. What began as an anti-terrorism communications center quietly transformed into one of the most powerful information control operations in American history. And now? It’s been taken apart… or so they’d like you to think.

What Was the GEC, Really?

Originally formed during the Obama administration under the banner of fighting ISIS propaganda, the GEC gradually morphed into a centralized censorship hub. Think Operation Mockingbird 2.0—with government funding flowing to “fact-checking” NGOs, advertiser blacklists, and anti-populist media narratives. At its peak, the GEC funded groups like the London-based Global Disinformation Index, which blacklisted right-leaning American outlets to starve them of ad revenue—all while rewarding corporate legacy media with preferred status.

The Censorship Shell Game: From GEC to RFINI

After political backlash and legal scrutiny, particularly following the 2024 election, the State Department declared a “reduction in force,” eliminating 30 full-time positions and defunding the GEC entirely. But like any good bureaucracy, it didn’t die—it rebranded. The Biden administration repackaged it under a new name: RFINI (Response to Foreign Influence and Malign Influence), now tucked under the Public Diplomacy division. Same staff, same mission, just a new label.

Weaponizing “Disinformation”

Behind the friendly terminology of “media literacy” and “public diplomacy” was a clear agenda: controlling what information was considered legitimate. The GEC partnered with universities, NGOs, tech companies, and media outlets to train civil society groups (often CIA or State Department cutouts) to label dissenting viewpoints as “disinformation.” The result? A government-sponsored filter deciding what Americans could see, hear, and read.

The Mockingbird Legacy Lives On

This modern censorship apparatus has deep roots. Its lineage traces back to the 1942 Office of War Information, which coordinated media and propaganda during WWII. That evolved into the U.S. Information Agency during the Cold War, and eventually into the GEC. From fighting Nazis to fighting populists, the mission shifted—but the underlying structure of information control remained remarkably consistent.
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