The Trump administration has signalled a sweeping overhaul of America's global information strategy, naming China, Russia, and Iran as its primary adversaries in an intensifying contest over global narratives. At the centre of the push is a stark financial imbalance: Beijing alone reportedly spends an estimated $40 billion annually on propaganda and influence operations, dwarfing the $1 billion budget of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM).

The Confirmation Hearing That Set the Tone

The strategy came into sharp focus during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on 31 July, where Sarah Rogers appeared before lawmakers for her nomination to lead the USAGM — the federal body that oversees Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and other US-funded international broadcasters.

Rogers told senators the agency must modernise rapidly to counter what she described as increasingly sophisticated influence campaigns by authoritarian governments. 'China alone spends about $40 billion on propaganda and influence operations,' she said. 'I have $1 billion, and most of that goes to salaries and keeping the lights on. But America keeps winning the information war in the sense that people who can choose would choose to come to America over China pretty much any day.'

The Threat Landscape: Bots, Disinformation, and University Networks

Rogers outlined a multi-front challenge, alleging that China, Russia, and Iran were exploiting both traditional media and digital platforms to spread disinformation. She specifically flagged 'coordinated bot hives' and 'foreign influence' networks that she said had penetrated universities and online public debates.

Responding to a question from Senator Ted Cruz, Rogers argued that Chinese and Iranian influence operations often promoted similar ideological themes, while Russia employed more opportunistic tactics. She alleged that China and Iran devoted significant effort to amplifying anti-Semitic narratives, while Russian campaigns focused on recruiting support for Moscow's war efforts and exploiting fault lines within democratic societies.

Rogers further alleged that Chinese-linked entities had funded activities designed to shape public opinion on strategic issues, including artificial intelligence, with such campaigns increasingly amplified through social media platforms.

Priority Regions and a New Delivery Model

Rogers identified Asia, the Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan, and Cuba as USAGM's priority regions, stressing that the agency's statutory mission was to reach audiences 'where a free media ecosystem is not possible.' She also called for a stronger US presence in Africa, where both Russia and China have expanded their footprint in recent years.

Rather than relying primarily on legacy radio and television, Rogers said the agency would pivot toward 'short-form video, diaspora group chats, podcasts and other timely forms of engagement' while retaining traditional platforms where necessary. She cited encounters with North Korean defectors during her tenure as Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy, recalling that they had described American broadcasts as their first window into life beyond their country's tightly controlled information environment. 'These defectors risked torture and risked death, fleeing toward a freedom they'd only heard existed here,' she said. 'They heard it from us.'

Democratic Pushback and the Road Ahead

Democratic senators raised concerns that recent administration cuts to US international broadcasting — including reductions in Voice of America programming and staffing — had already weakened America's competitive position. Rogers acknowledged the need for reform but said she intended to comply with congressional funding decisions while rebuilding operational capacity.

'My first priority will be to stabilise the agency, strengthen its leadership, modernise its operations, and restore research capacity so we can actually measure reach and viewership,' she said. Whether the Senate confirms Rogers — and how quickly USAGM can execute the proposed overhaul — will determine the credibility of Washington's renewed push in the global information contest.