(Natural News)—Newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Tuesday that the State Department will no longer promote programs that “open the door to censorship.” Rubio, 53, sent a cable to every U.S. diplomatic and consular post worldwide on his first day in office, signaling a sharp departure from the Biden administration’s approach to combating so-called “disinformation.” The former Republican senator from Florida vowed to terminate any initiatives that could lead to the suppression of American voices, while also refocusing U.S. diplomacy on core national interests.

Rubio’s announcement comes as a direct response to concerns over the Biden administration’s controversial Global Engagement Center (GEC), which critics accused of pressuring social media platforms to censor COVID-19-related content and labeling legitimate news outlets as purveyors of “disinformation.” The GEC was shuttered in the final weeks of the Biden presidency, but fears lingered that its functions would simply be rebranded under a different name. Rubio’s cable made it clear that such practices would not continue under his leadership.

A stand against censorship

In his message to State Department employees, Rubio condemned the “agencies and programs of our own government” that engaged in “censorship, suppression, and misinformation.” He emphasized that while the department would remain vigilant against “enemy propaganda,” it would not tolerate programs that infringe on the First Amendment rights of American citizens.

He added that any programs that “lead or in any way open the door to censorship of the American people will be terminated.” His stance aligns with President Trump’s Day One executive order, which barred federal funds from being used to “engage in or facilitate any conduct that would unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any American citizen.”

Rubio’s commitment to free speech has been widely praised by the many Americans who view the Biden administration’s disinformation efforts as an overreach that stifled dissent and undermined trust in public institutions.

Refocusing diplomacy on national interests

Beyond his stance on censorship, Rubio outlined a broader vision for the State Department, calling for a return to “the basics of diplomacy.” He criticized the department’s recent emphasis on “ideology over common sense,” arguing that such an approach had caused it to “misread the world.”

Rubio urged employees to justify every dollar spent, every program funded, and every policy pursued by answering three simple questions: Does it make the country safer, stronger, and more prosperous? He also pledged to end the promotion of “mass migration” and to stop reorienting foreign policy around climate initiatives that he believes weaken America.

“Far too much of America’s diplomacy is focused on pushing political and cultural causes that are divisive at home and deeply unpopular abroad,” Rubio wrote. “This creates unnecessary friction with other nations and obstructs our ability to conduct a pragmatic foreign policy.”

Instead, Rubio vowed to revitalize alliances, strengthen ties with partners, and counter the “malign activities” of adversaries. He emphasized the need to adapt to a rapidly changing world, where new challenges require innovative solutions.

Rubio’s first day as secretary of state marks a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy. By taking a firm stand against censorship and refocusing the State Department’s priorities on national security and prosperity, Rubio is positioning himself as a key player in the Trump administration’s efforts to restore American strength and credibility on the global stage.

Sources for this article include:

• NYPost.com
• Revolver.news
• FoxNews.com

But, come to think of it – why wouldn’t they?

The EU is pushing every losing, crippling Globalist agenda under the sun – from unchecked mass migration to the Net-zero obsession of the ‘Church of Global Warming’; from DEI nonsense to Transgenderism for children, to advancing a ‘forever war’ in Ukraine… Brussels is destroying their nations to obey the orders of the Globalist overlords.

In the words of old-time Trump ally, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán: ‘The EU is a contemporary parody of the Soviet Union’.

The most prominent point of tension – but far from the only one – is the unfairness of the trade imbalance.

From Trump’s speech at the Davos WEF conference:

“From the standpoint of America, the EU treats us very, very unfairly, very badly.

They make it very difficult to bring products into Europe, and yet they expect to be selling and they do sell their products in the United States. So, we have, you know, hundreds of billions of dollars of deficits with the EU, and nobody’s happy with it. And we’re going to do something about it.

They essentially don’t take our farm products and they don’t take our cars, yet they send cars to us by the millions. They put tariffs on things that we want to do … We have some very big complaints with the EU.” […]

— Read More: www.thegatewaypundit.com

Rubio mentioned on the social media platform X that if these reports are verified, the U.S. might introduce bounties potentially larger than those once offered for Osama bin Laden.

“Just hearing the Taliban is holding more American hostages than has been reported,” Rubio stated. “If this is true, we will have to immediately place a VERY BIG bounty on their top leaders, maybe even bigger than the one we had on Bin Laden.”

Just hearing the Taliban is holding more American hostages than has been reported. If this is true, we will have to immediately place a VERY BIG bounty on their top leaders, maybe even bigger than the one we had on Bin Laden.

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@secrubio) January 25, 2025

This development suggests a possible escalation in the U.S. approach towards dealing with the Taliban, particularly in light of ongoing concerns about American citizens in Afghanistan. The mention of such significant bounties reflects the administration’s commitment to addressing security threats and ensuring the safety of U.S. nationals.

The context of this statement is set against a backdrop where the U.S. has been reevaluating its strategy in dealing with the Taliban, especially after the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. The focus on hostages could also be a strategic move to disrupt Taliban operations and leadership by incentivizing information from within or outside the group.

Article generate from legacy media reports.