Washington’s ‘psyop’ propaganda push could backfire, analysts say

A leaked diplomatic cable has revealed a controversial new US strategy to combat declining global influence. According to a March 30 directive from Secretary of State Marco Rubio obtained by The Guardian, American embassies and consulates are instructed to launch coordinated propaganda campaigns to boost the country's image and counter "anti-American propaganda." The plan explicitly suggests partnering with the US military's psychological operations (psyops) department—a move that blurs the line between diplomacy and covert influence warfare.

Analysts and former officials are sounding alarms that this approach could severely backfire. Historian and former Johns Hopkins lecturer Tad Stoermer criticizes the strategy as using "propaganda to fight the truth," arguing it risks further eroding US credibility on the world stage. The cable also details tactics to make the messaging seem authentic, including recruiting local influencers to deliver US-funded narratives and urging officials to make greater use of social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to make the campaigns feel "locally organic rather than centrally directed." This marks a significant shift toward the very shadowy information tactics the US has long condemned when used by adversaries.