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Washington: The United States (US) has directed its embassies and consulates worldwide to recruit influencers, academics and community leaders to counter what it describes as “anti-American propaganda”, while promoting the social media platform X as a key tool.

The directive, contained in a diplomatic cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and reported by The Guardian and Reuters, outlines a coordinated strategy to counter foreign disinformation and strengthen US messaging abroad.

The move comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions involving Iran, as well as continued influence operations by Russia and China targeting US allies.

Embassies have been asked to disseminate counter-narratives through locally credible voices to improve acceptance among target audiences. The cable states that foreign influence campaigns attempt to shift blame onto Washington, deepen divisions among allies and undermine political and economic interests.

The plan identifies five priorities: countering hostile narratives, expanding access to reliable information, exposing adversary activity, amplifying supportive voices and promoting US perspectives internationally.

In a notable step, diplomats have been instructed to coordinate with the Pentagon’s Military Information Support Operations (MISO), a unit traditionally focused on influencing adversaries during conflicts, signalling closer alignment between diplomatic outreach and military-linked communication strategies.

The cable highlights X’s “Community Notes” feature as a crowdsourced tool to identify misleading content, alongside the use of artificial intelligence to detect and respond to disinformation.

Owned by Elon Musk, the platform has faced scrutiny over content moderation, even as US officials emphasise its role in supporting open discourse.

The directive follows recent changes in Washington’s counter-disinformation framework, including the closure of several specialised units tasked with monitoring foreign influence.

Embassies have also been instructed to expand access to international news and independent analysis in local languages, particularly in regions where information is restricted. US-funded programmes must be clearly branded to ensure visibility.

More than 700 American cultural centres worldwide are to be repositioned as hubs for open access to information and promoted as free speech spaces.

The initiative reflects a more coordinated approach to addressing global information threats through diplomatic engagement and digital tools, according to the report.