EU drops sponsorship of disinformation conference at Trump officials’ request
The Trump administration pressured the EU, Canada, and Lithuania to withdraw their sponsorship from a major disinformation conference in Vilnius. The move followed US concerns regarding a panel at the event that reportedly framed the United States as a foreign information threat.
Why it matters
This incident highlights growing tensions regarding international cooperation on disinformation and the influence of US foreign policy on European academic and policy-oriented events.
Marco Rubio speaks to the press in Pasay, Metro Manila, in July./Getty Images Marco Rubio speaks to the press in Pasay, Metro Manila, in July./Getty Images Trump administration EU drops sponsorship of disinformation conference at Trump officials’ request Lithuania and Canada were also pressured to withdraw, and days before #Disinfo2026, logos were wiped off website
Prefer the Guardian on Google The Trump administration pressured multiple countries to withdraw their sponsorship of a leading European conference on disinformation, with Canada, Lithuania and the EU’s diplomatic service subsequently agreeing to do so, the Guardian understands.
The conference, #Disinfo2026, taking place Wednesday and Thursday, is the annual meetup of Europe’s counter-disinformation community and has drawn hundreds of researchers, journalists, technologists and policymakers to a hotel in Vilnius, Lithuania . It is run by an independent Brussels non-profit, EU Disinfo Lab.
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