Leaked GEC Files Do Not Prove Domestic Censorship, Say Ex-Officials

Documents leaked from the State Department’s Global Engagement Center are claimed by supporters to prove domestic censorship, but two former GEC officials say the materials show no such thing, instead reflecting a partisan fight over a foreign-disinformation office that operated abroad. The GEC was shuttered in 2025 and its work folded into other channels, while the State Department is pursuing an $11 million Southeast Asia influencer campaign to counter Chinese propaganda. Critics argue the leak shows weaponization of information, but the ex-officials insist the GEC never targeted Americans and focused on foreign actors.