Berlin, Germany – The German government has expressed surprise and concern over the new course of action by the US administration in combating disinformation and foreign influence.
According to an internal report by the Central Office for the Detection of Foreign Information Manipulation (ZEAM), the German government has criticized the decision of US Attorney General Pam Bondi to disband the Foreign Influence Task Force of the FBI, a unit primarily focused on countering Russian and Chinese interference efforts.
The report states that the dissolution of the task force means the loss of a capable and trustworthy institution in the fight against foreign information manipulation, as other countries, such as France, Sweden, Canada and Germany, continue to operate specialized units in this area. The US is now pursuing a distinctly different line, the report notes.
ZEAM, established in 2024 by the coalition government and linked to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, is responsible for monitoring the internet and social networks for fake news campaigns, often allegedly steered by Moscow and warning of potential threats to the upcoming federal election. A report from February highlighted the intensification of Russian communication efforts in the run-up to the election.