U.S. Pressures Allies to Withdraw Support for Disinfo Conference

The United States Department of State pressured the European Union, Canada, and Lithuania to withdraw their sponsorship of Disinfo 2026, an annual counter-disinformation conference in Vilnius. The diplomatic friction centered on a panel titled “USA as a FIMI threat: adapt, acknowledge, push back,” which framed the U.S. as a foreign information manipulation and interference actor.

In response, the European External Action Service, Global Affairs Canada, and the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs removed their logos from conference materials, stating the program did not align with their official views on the U.S. role in disinformation. While the EU withdrew its branding, it continues to fund the event. France declined to withdraw its support.

This tension coincides with security negotiations between the two nations. Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius is seeking a permanent U.S. military base in Lithuania to deter Russian aggression. President Donald Trump has indicated he will consider the request.