Scoop: Trump appointed snr state dept official sought stafff's internal comms w/ journalists, European officials, + critics of Trump for a “Twitter files”-style dump to try + prove that the State Dept's Global Engagement Center censored conservatives. www.technologyreview.com/2025/05/01/1... - ThreadSky

eileenguo.bsky.social • 17 days ago

Scoop:

Trump appointed snr state dept official sought stafff's internal comms w/ journalists, European officials, + critics of Trump for a “Twitter files”-style dump to try + prove that the State Dept's Global Engagement Center censored conservatives.

https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/05/01/1115988/senior-state-department-official-sought-internal-communications-with-journalists-european-officials-and-trump-critics/

Comments

eileenguo.bsky.social•17 days ago

I got a hold of the doc, which names everyone from Bill Gates to European officials to journalists that have covered disinfo, like @brandyzadrozny.bsky.social @anneapplebaum.bsky.social, @bellingcat.com + @eliothiggins.bsky.social to researchers inc @noupside.bsky.social @ninajankowicz.com etc

eileenguo.bsky.social•17 days ago

The existence of such a list reminded former Amb to Poland Daniel Fried of “Communist Party minder[s] watching over the untrusted bureaucracy,” who said it also “approaches the compilation of an enemies list.” (He's 1 of 39 people named on the list.)

eileenguo.bsky.social•17 days ago

Meanwhile, it made @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social, who worked as a chief of staff for VP Dan Quayle, wonder,” what would be the innocent reason for doing that?”

In other words, this records request was far from normal.

eileenguo.bsky.social•17 days ago

The request came from Darren Beattie, Trump's snr official for public diplomacy— fired from the 1st Trump admin. for speaking at a conference for white nat'lists—who prev promoted conspiracy theories... + is now in the position to direct public resources towards investigating them.

eileenguo.bsky.social•17 days ago

Many more details in our story: https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/05/01/1115988/senior-state-department-official-sought-internal-communications-with-journalists-european-officials-and-trump-critics/

+ as always, pls get in touch on Signal @ eileenguo.15 --on a non-work device--if you know more.

kimoco.bsky.social•16 days ago

This looks like possible situation where they make journalists pay big $ for lawyers to deal with bogus accusations or charges.

borisogon.bsky.social•16 days ago

There is some irony in the resemblance to the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League, I suppose.

grahamkekule.bsky.social•15 days ago

The public has every right to know what their officials discussed behind closed doors.

What a crock. Projection.

nachyocheese.bsky.social•16 days ago

Thanks for the list, I wasn't following them so yet

jweedon.bsky.social•16 days ago

Is the "integrity initiative" supposed to refer to the Integrity Institute?

phasmatic.bsky.social•16 days ago

"Kommissar" is now a Federal job title in the USA.

gogreenranger.bsky.social•14 days ago

This is like every post-9/11 conservative victim storyline is climaxing this season.

bbirke.bsky.social•16 days ago

Interesting and important information, also how the Trump information seems to abuse digital archives for Orwellian surveillans (DOGE is even worse). A lot is about Europe: legislation, far-right parties and figures. I have myself lots of criticism to authoritarian/censorship approach in Europe, ➡️

bbirke.bsky.social•16 days ago

Typos fix: "also how the Trump administration seems to abuse digital archives for Orwellian surveillance".

Too bad no later edit is possible.

bbirke.bsky.social•16 days ago

... such as by mentioned German Nancy Faeser, but this looks like a broad attack on the "western world". I still think that censorship is bad (also as it was introduced in the USA), but legislation/law enforcement should instead focus on social media algorithms, which effectively enable manipulation

blucowdawg.bsky.social•16 days ago

… could be they were just censoring jackasses… which would be a good thing for the state department to do…

skynetandchill.com•16 days ago

is this 'weaponising the government?' 🤔

nickoftime5546.bsky.social•16 days ago

Beria

shatterlo.bsky.social•17 days ago

Alarming.

peterandrewgrekin.bsky.social•13 days ago

Thanks for reposting. Scary, if unsurprising, stuff. It’s an “enemies list” for sure

lintoinette.bsky.social•16 days ago

Utter snowflakes

thegoonkills.bsky.social•16 days ago

Oh, so, we’re gonna try and discredit journalists so only the “state media” is trusted

Like Nazi Germany

mikethemadbiol.bsky.social•17 days ago

📌

olym1976.bsky.social•16 days ago

America still doesn’t get Trump and his snake pit. Of course AI technology is being used to generate the enemy database. Of course 1 of our greatest strengths, DEI, is pushed as a weakness. Of course the GOP is scrambling to pass laws to protect themselves for being complicit with Das Fuhrer.