The following article is a supplement to the MRC Report: The Biden Administration Waged War on Free Speech with 57 Censorship Initiatives.
Initiative #25
The Enemies List
Type of Censorship: Partnership
Agencies Involved:
- Department of State
- Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs (ECA)
- TechCamp
- Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs (ECA)
Summary:
The State Department’s work with a foreign engineer to create what, according to Fox News, was labeled an “Enemies List.” The list targeted those who opposed censorship, such as President Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Michael Knowles, Elon Musk and Ben Shapiro.
Among the figures on the list were journalists Michael Knowles and Ben Shapiro, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and then-presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The list also included well-known U.S. organizations such as the Cato Institute, The Heritage Foundation and Turning Point USA.
Both Musk and Shapiro had been vocal advocates of the Ukrainian cause, with Musk’s Starlink even relied upon by the Ukrainian forces. Nevertheless, both men were included on the list because they opposed censorship of anti-war voices. Despite the widespread outcry over the censorship, TechCamp continues to promote Bondarenko and his organization to this day.
Key Individuals:
- Tony Blinken, Secretary of State
- Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational & Cultural Affairs
