In 2019, former President Donald Trump attempted to turn the tables on China when he ordered the Central Intelligence Agency to launch a campaign against the country’s government through its local social media.
The intelligence agency created a small team of operatives who would use Chinese social media to spread negative narratives about President Xi Jinping and his government, according to Reuters. These operations included criticizing the government as well as leaking disparaging intelligence overseas. For example, the team promoted claims that Chinese Communist Party members were hiding ill-gotten money overseas and alleged that certain projects were corrupt and wasteful.
While the former officials interviewed by Reuters did not provide details about the operations, they said the narratives were based on facts despite being released by intelligence operatives acting under false cover.
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