How narratives about a vast government censorship network moved from the online fringe to Trump policy.

In April 2025, employees of the US State Department received an email that many feared. The Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference Hub (R/FIMI) was closing down, with their jobs eliminated. This closure marked a broader dismantling of government agencies aimed at curbing disinformation.

The idea that the State Department had been suppressing conservative speech under the guise of countering disinformation spread in far-right circles for years. Mike Benz, a right-wing provocateur, popularized this theory through podcasts and social media. His influence extended beyond domestic politics, reshaping US national security strategy and causing tensions with the European Union over tech regulations.

The notion that censorship is merely “disinformation in disguise” has far-reaching implications. It affects everything from efforts to protect victims of online crime to international election monitoring. Yet much of what’s termed ‘censorship’ involves making the internet safer, like identifying nonconsensual content and verifying identities.

This story offers a stark reminder that our perceptions of freedom can be manipulated by those with ulterior motives. Are we truly at risk or just in our minds?