The United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed the global diplomatic system to utilize the social media platform X, in conjunction with military psychological warfare resources, to comprehensively strengthen its information warfare capabilities. This strategy is not only aimed at combating misinformation but is also seen as the latest deployment by the United States to counter the influence operations of countries such as Russia, China, and Iran.
In a diplomatic cable signed on Monday, March 30th, and first disclosed by The Guardian, Rubio instructed American diplomats to make strategic use of the social media platform X and collaborate with military psychological warfare units to counter foreign anti-American propaganda.
The U.S. State Department stated that it will take a more proactive stance on this issue, using various diplomatic means to respond while also safeguarding the freedom of speech of American citizens. This indicates that diplomatic and military propaganda tools are further integrating, and information warfare has become an important battlefield in the current international competition.
Furthermore, the cable also recommended that diplomats actively amplify real information, expose false content, and utilize features such as “Community Notes” on X, along with other artificial intelligence tools.
The cable also called for diplomats to coordinate with other government agencies when necessary, specifically mentioning the Department of Defense’s Military Information Support Operations (MISO) unit.
Although the details were not elaborated in the cable, such units are primarily responsible for conducting psychological operations on the battlefield to influence enemy morale. For example, during the fight against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria, MISO utilized tactics such as airdropping cartoon leaflets to psychologically undermine the enemy’s will to fight.
With Elon Musk’s increasing influence in politics, the X platform has become a crucial arena for public opinion and political discourse. With the integration of xAI into SpaceX in February of this year, there are market expectations that this move may further drive the strategic integration of X with defense-related businesses.