On a recent episode of Tucker Carlson Tonight, Mike Benz brought some eye-opening insights to the table. He discussed how the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been actively working to financially undermine media platforms deemed to spread “misinformation.” Benz highlighted a 2021 USAID memo, which mentioned advertisers 31 times, pointing to a concerted effort to cut off funds to independent media outlets that don’t toe the government line.
Benz explained that USAID’s strategy essentially forces platforms to censor content or face financial collapse. “USAID is contorting the economics of the entire news industry,” he noted, suggesting that platforms must censor or risk bankruptcy. He pointed out how this tactic has particularly affected Elon Musk’s X, previously known as Twitter, which has had to pivot to subscription-based models due to advertiser boycotts.
The conversation shifted to Mark Zuckerberg’s experience with Facebook, contrasting his initial resistance to censorship with the financial blow that forced his hand. In 2019, Zuckerberg was outspoken about censorship concerns, but an advertiser boycott quickly changed that. The #ChangeTheTerms campaign, which led to a $60 billion loss in Facebook’s market cap in just 48 hours, pushed Zuckerberg to comply with increased censorship demands.
Tucker Carlson pressed Benz for details on who was behind the #ChangeTheTerms campaign. Benz responded, noting the involvement of the ADL and Color of Change, along with numerous USAID and State Department-funded NGOs. These organizations, he explained, acted as intermediaries, pushing censorship under the guise of combating hate speech.
Benz emphasized how U.S. foreign policy efforts directly influence domestic agendas, with censorship tools being exported globally in the name of diplomacy. The U.S. State Department has been pushing other countries to enact censorship laws, targeting right-wing populist movements. Benz expressed concern over how American taxpayers unknowingly fund these efforts abroad.
Carlson drew a comparison to Soviet-era tactics, suggesting the U.S. is now exporting chaos and tyranny. Benz agreed, elaborating on how NATO and other Western institutions set up a censorship infrastructure post-2016 election and Brexit. They accused Russia and China of similar actions while doing the same, he said.
The discussion turned toward the significant funding from the U.S. State Department that supports censorship activities. This funding reaches various entities, including private firms, civil society groups, universities, and government-funded media pushing for more speech restrictions. Carlson pointed out that these efforts even extend to mainstream media platforms.
Benz confirmed that media organizations are integrated into the Department of Homeland Security’s counter-disinformation work. “Media is the fourth quadrant in this whole-society framework,” he explained, underscoring the extensive reach of these efforts. Carlson and Benz concluded that there’s no real distinction between U.S. foreign and domestic policies.
Carlson summed up the discussion by noting how foreign policy now drives domestic policy. Benz agreed, stating that domestic policies are essentially another aspect of international relations. He pointed to the State Department’s Global Engagement Center as the primary driver of these censorship efforts.
This center, founded by Rick Stengel, has been active in exporting censorship programs while simultaneously calling for restrictions on the First Amendment domestically. Carlson did not hold back in his criticism of Stengel, labeling him as a negative influence on American values. Benz noted how quickly U.S. institutions turned their backs on free speech principles after the election of Trump.
The episode left viewers with a deep dive into the complexities of government influence on media and speech. Benz’s insights revealed the extent to which the U.S. government, through USAID and the State Department, is involved in global censorship efforts. The infrastructure built to control speech abroad is being felt at home, challenging core American principles.
