US State Department closes Global Engagement Center that tracked foreign disinformation

The U.S. State Department announced the closure of the Global Engagement Center (GEC), which tracked foreign disinformation, after Congress did not extend its funding. This marks the first time in eight years that the State Department lacks a dedicated office for this purpose. The GEC, established in 2016, had an annual budget of $61 million and about 120 staff members. Its shutdown comes amid ongoing concerns about disinformation campaigns from adversaries like Russia and China. Republican lawmakers had criticized the GEC for alleged censorship. The agency's closure follows a bipartisan spending bill that did not include funding for it, despite previous initiatives aimed at countering foreign propaganda.