The Global Engagement Center (GEC), a foreign disinformation center under the State Department, has closed its doors this week due to a lack of funding. Established in 2016, the GEC was criticized by conservatives, including Elon Musk, for censorship and media manipulation. Its funding was stripped as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, leading to its termination by law on December 23, 2024.
The GEC had a budget of approximately $61 million and 120 staff members. Lawmakers initially included funding for the GEC in a continuing resolution bill, but it was later rewritten without money for the agency. Republicans argued that the private sector already offers similar disinformation analysis, questioning the value of the GEC's work.
