Trump Aides Close State Dept. Office on Foreign Disinformation
Trump Aides Close State Dept. Office on Foreign Disinformation
Secretary of State Marco Rubio put about 40 employees on leave who had tracked disinformation by China, Russia, Iran and terrorist groups.
Read the full article on NY Times Politics
Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The article's claim about Secretary of State Rubio closing a State Department office and placing employees on leave is largely unverified and implausible given the provided sources. While the sources confirm the existence of foreign disinformation efforts and the State Department's involvement in countering them, they do not support the specific claim of the office closure. The article exhibits a moderate bias due to the lack of corroboration and the potential for a negative portrayal of the Trump administration.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim: Secretary of State Marco Rubio put about 40 employees on leave who had tracked disinformation by China, Russia, Iran and terrorist groups.
- Verification Source #1: This source discusses the Justice Department disrupting Russian disinformation efforts, but does not mention the State Department office or Rubio's actions. *Fails to cover.*
- Verification Source #2: This source is a State Department document about foreign state-sponsored disinformation, but does not mention the closure of any office or employees being put on leave. *Fails to cover.*
- Verification Source #3: This source discusses the Justice Department charging Iranian nationals with cyber-enabled disinformation, but does not mention the State Department office or Rubio's actions. *Fails to cover.*
- Verification Source #4: This source mentions a lawsuit challenging Trump, but does not mention the State Department office or Rubio's actions. *Fails to cover.*
- Verification Source #5: This source is the U.S. Department of State homepage and provides general information, but does not mention the office closure or employees being put on leave. *Fails to cover.*
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- The provided sources confirm that foreign disinformation is a concern and that the US government, including the Department of Justice and the State Department, is involved in countering it. Verification Source #1, Verification Source #2, Verification Source #3.
- However, none of the sources support the claim that Secretary of State Marco Rubio closed an office and put employees on leave. This lack of corroboration raises serious doubts about the factual accuracy of the article.
- The Colorado Secretary of State source (Verification Source #4) is irrelevant to the claim.