Russian, Chinese, and Iranian state media are leveraging the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk to propagate thousands of false claims aimed at discrediting the U.S. and its adversaries, according to a report by disinformation watchdog NewsGuard. Official media in these countries have mentioned Kirk over 6,200 times since his death at a university event in Utah. This disinformation campaign intensified after the U.S. dismantled a key agency that monitored foreign disinformation in April, which experts warn may leave the country vulnerable to such tactics.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox noted that adversaries are trying to inflame political tensions, and most disinformation stemmed from Russian sources, falsely linking Ukraine to the assassination. In contrast, Iranian media accused Israel of orchestrating the killing, reflecting Tehran’s tendency to blame its adversaries for crises. Chinese outlets spread false claims about the suspect, further portraying the U.S. as divided.
Experts have raised concerns that the U.S. is ill-equipped to tackle the growing threat of foreign disinformation, especially after the recent closure of the State Department’s Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference hub. The shutdown signals a reduction in efforts to counteract misinformation from foreign governments, culminating in the U.S. disengaging from previously established frameworks to combat propaganda.
