State Dept. confirms shutdown of counter‑foreign‑information office; budget review ongoing

State Department spokesperson Tammy said Secretary Rubio has permanently closed the Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference Office, formerly known as the Global Engagement Center (GEC), and that the department has launched a "sweeping transparency initiative."

Tammy characterized the move as part of a broader review of the department’s programs and global posture ahead of the administration’s budget submission. She said the Office of Management and Budget will detail funding decisions in the president's budget request when it is transmitted to Congress.

Why it matters: The closure affects an office the government had used to coordinate responses to foreign information manipulation. Tammy framed the decision as consistent with the administration’s view on free speech and said the American public "deserves answers." The briefing did not provide implementation details, transitional arrangements for functions previously carried out by the office, or whether related staff will be reassigned.

Tammy declined to preview specific budget figures and said she would not "get ahead of that process." She said the department is reviewing programs to ensure they advance U.S. interests and promised further details as the budget request becomes public. Reporters asked about potential impacts on ongoing programs and on the department’s capacity to counter foreign disinformation; Tammy responded that the review was intended to align programs with U.S. priorities but did not spell out which functions, if any, would be transferred or ended.

The briefing also touched on broader questions about U.S. funding for international organizations; Tammy defended the administration’s approach to reviewing the budget and said any changes would aim for "more effective, more efficient" results while reiterating continued commitment to alliances such as NATO.