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Week: Week 63 ×
Category: Information, Memory and Manipulation ×
Trait: Surveillance of ordinary citizens increases; elite crimes remain opaque ×
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Mar 31, 2026 Marco Rubio signed a diplomatic cable directing embassies to coordinate counter-propaganda campaigns with Pentagon psychological operations and use X platform Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
Merging diplomacy with military psychological operations and a platform tied to a Trump insider raises concerns about militarized information campaigns blurring lines with influence operations.
Independently corroborated by1 independent news desk
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- State Department directs embassies to launch coordinated counter-propaganda campaigns using X and military psychological operations — Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed a cable directing all U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide to launch coordinated campaigns against foreign propaganda, explicitly endorsing Elon Musk's X platform and its Community Notes feature as an "innovative" tool. The directive instructs diplomatic staff to coordinate with the Pentagon's Military Information Support Operations (Miso) unit, recruit local influencers and community leaders to amplify American narratives, and rebrand U.S. foreign assistance with prominent American flags. The cable frames these efforts as countering hostile state disinformation from Iran, Russia, and China.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 63 – 2026-03-28–2026-04-03
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Mar 29, 2026 Kash Patel directed release of a decade-old investigative file on Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Trump critic and gubernatorial candidate Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
The FBI director's push to publicize a file on a political opponent despite prior exoneration exemplifies use of federal law enforcement resources against critics.
Independently corroborated by4 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- FBI Director Kash Patel pressed to release decade-old investigative file on Rep. Eric Swalwell. — FBI Director Kash Patel directed agents in the San Francisco office to quickly redact and prepare for public release a decade-old investigative file involving Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, despite no evidence of wrongdoing by Swalwell. The file concerns Christine Fang (Fang Fang), who courted Swalwell and other California politicians from 2011–2015. When FBI agents conveyed concerns about Fang to Swalwell around 2015, he cut off ties and cooperated with investigators. Swalwell was not accused of wrongdoing in the original investigation, and the Republican-led House Ethics Committee closed a two-year investigation in 2023 with no action. Patel has reassigned multiple agents to work on bringing a criminal case against Swalwell, a vocal Trump critic and leading Democratic candidate for California governor.
- Trump FBI director Kash Patel pushes for release of Eric Swalwell investigative records — FBI Director Kash Patel, under the Trump administration, is reportedly pushing to release records from a decade-old FBI investigation into Eric Swalwell's alleged links to a Chinese agent. Swalwell, a Democratic congressman and California gubernatorial candidate, was found cooperative and not suspected of wrongdoing. The move occurs as Swalwell gains traction in the governor's race. Democrats characterize the effort as weaponized retaliation against a political opponent. Swalwell's attorneys issued a cease-and-desist letter on Monday.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 63 – 2026-03-28–2026-04-03
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