Protecting and Championing Free Speech at the State Department

Freedom of speech and expression have been a cornerstone of what it means to be an American citizen.  For centuries, the United States served as a beacon of hope for millions of people around the world.  Over the last decade though, individuals in America have been slandered, fired, charged, and even jailed for simply voicing their opinions. 

That is not an America our Founding Fathers would recognize.

It is the responsibility of every government official to continuously work to preserve and protect the freedom for Americans to exercise their free speech.  That is why today I am announcing the closure of the State Department’s Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (R/FIMI), formerly known as the Global Engagement Center (GEC).  Under the previous administration, this office, which cost taxpayers more than $50 million per year, spent millions of dollars to actively silence and censor the voices of Americans they were supposed to be serving.  This is antithetical to the very principals we should be upholding and inconceivable it was taking place in America.  

That ends today.  Under the administration of President Trump, we will always work to protect the rights of the American people, and this is an important step in continuing to fulfill that commitment.