Rubio Shuts Down ‘Dead’ Biden Censorship Program

Man in suit appearing serious, with blurred background.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has dismantled a controversial censorship program that the Biden administration had claimed was already defunct, revealing an ongoing effort to suppress American free speech that continued under a different name.

Key Takeaways

Secretary Rubio has shut down the Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference office, which was a rebranded continuation of the Global Engagement Center (GEC) censorship program.
The Biden administration had continued the GEC’s censorship activities even after Congress refused to renew its funding in 2024.
The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) lawsuit exposed how GEC funded tools like NewsGuard that targeted conservative media outlets.
Rubio’s decision is part of the Trump administration’s broader commitment to protecting First Amendment rights and ending government censorship.
Legal experts are working with the administration to develop safeguards against similar constitutional violations in the future.

The Censorship Program That Wouldn’t Die

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has taken decisive action to shut down what critics have called a “censorship industrial complex” operating within the State Department. Despite claims from the previous administration that the controversial Global Engagement Center had been terminated when Congress failed to reauthorize its funding in 2024, Rubio discovered the program had simply been rebranded and continued operating under a different name within the department.

The Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference office was quietly carrying on the same controversial activities that had drawn criticism from free speech advocates and lawmakers. According to documents released by the State Department, the GEC had significantly overstepped its mandate to combat foreign disinformation and instead targeted American news outlets and citizens expressing political views counter to administration narratives.

How the Censorship Machine Operated

The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA), which filed a lawsuit exposing the program’s activities, revealed that the GEC had funded censorship technologies like NewsGuard and the Global Disinformation Index. These tools were used to blacklist domestic news organizations based on their political content, affecting their circulation and advertising revenue. Conservative outlets including The Daily Wire and The Federalist were specifically targeted by these government-funded operations.

“Secretary Rubio’s acknowledgement that our government abridged the free speech rights of American citizens and the American press represents a first step toward dismantling the Censorship Industrial Complex. Unfortunately, our clients continue to suffer from the blacklisting and demonetization advanced by the State Department—as do other members of the American press,” said Margot Cleveland, Of Counsel, NCLA.

According to court documents, the censorship operation was part of a broader network involving nonprofits, social media platforms, and government agencies working in concert. This “Election Integrity Partnership” allegedly coordinated efforts to suppress information deemed unfavorable to the previous administration’s positions, raising serious constitutional concerns about government interference in protected speech.

SecState Rubio Shuts Down Censorship Program That Biden Administration Claimed Was Already Deadhttps://t.co/mWdOAPwMO7

— RedState (@RedState) April 17, 2025

Trump Administration’s Commitment to Free Speech

Rubio’s decision to dismantle the program aligns with President Trump’s broader agenda of reforming government agencies and protecting constitutional rights. In his announcement, Rubio emphasized that American citizens’ right to free expression should not be undermined by government agencies under the guise of combating foreign influence. The move has been praised by constitutional scholars concerned about the expanding reach of what some have termed the “deep state.”

“Secretary Rubio’s recognition of the irreparable and ongoing harm GEC and the State Department inflicted on our clients is laudable, as are his promises to put an end to this unconstitutional regime. We look forward to using the knowledge we have gained through litigating this case to help craft safeguards that ensure our clients and all Americans are protected from similar, future harm,” Jenin Younes, Litigation Counsel, NCLA stated.

The NCLA, a nonpartisan civil rights group focused on protecting constitutional freedoms, has indicated its willingness to collaborate with the Trump Administration to develop measures preventing future First Amendment rights violations. Legal experts suggest this cooperation could establish new safeguards against government censorship that would protect Americans across the political spectrum from having their voices silenced by federal agencies.

Looking Forward: Restoring Constitutional Boundaries

As the State Department begins the process of dismantling the censorship apparatus, questions remain about how to address the damage already done to news organizations and individual Americans targeted by these programs. The NCLA continues to seek justice for its clients who suffered financial and reputational harm. Meanwhile, Secretary Rubio has directed a comprehensive review of all State Department programs to identify and eliminate any remaining elements that could threaten Americans’ First Amendment rights.

With this decisive action, the Trump administration has taken a significant step toward fulfilling its promise to drain what supporters call “the swamp” – the entrenched bureaucratic systems that operate beyond public view and democratic accountability. For many conservatives who felt targeted by government censorship over the past several years, Rubio’s announcement represents a welcome return to constitutional principles and limited government.