The Global War for Information

America’s global influence is under unprecedented attack—not from missiles or armies, but from a far more insidious weapon: information. Adversaries such as China, Russia, and Iran are exploiting the "cognitive domain"—the realm of perception, knowledge, and influence—by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), deepfakes, and social media to erode U.S. interests.

This battle is being fought at unprecedented speed, pitting America’s story of democracy, free markets, and innovation against its adversaries’ authoritarian rule, state-driven economy, and disincentivizing control. Losing risks America’s geopolitical edge and the Western ideals that freed millions—ideals they aim to bury.

By leveraging America's information networks, technological innovation, and cultural influence, the U.S. can address these threats and regain its leadership position in shaping the global narrative.

Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and China’s escalating rhetoric over Taiwan, great power competition has intensified. The 2022 National Security Strategy (NSS) highlights how adversaries are challenging the “free and open international order,” a battle increasingly fought not with hardware but with ideas.

At the same time, Russia’s “Doppelgänger,” a pro-Russian influence campaign, mimics reputable news sources like The Washington Post with “a network of cloned websites, fake articles, and social media manipulation” to shape public opinion.

A 2022 Yale University study across 19 countries found that Chinese propaganda effectively persuaded audiences that the “China model” offers superior growth and stability compared to liberal democratic systems. Unlike Cold War-era information tactics, today’s AI-driven methods precisely target audiences, exploiting societal vulnerabilities to sow discord while promoting alternative governance models.

America’s open society—while a strength—is also its Achilles’ heel. Foreign actors exploit its universities and tech hubs, stealing innovations worth up to $700 billion annually, according to the Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property.

Simultaneously, AI-driven digital landscapes amplify societal divisions. Cybersecurity expert Clint Watts notes in his book Messing with the Enemy that “today’s information ecosystem is a goldmine for adversaries,” as platforms like TikTok and X are rife with skepticism and misinformation, eroding trust in all information that, unfortunately, hides the facts.

The 2024 U.S. election underscored this vulnerability, as foreign actors weaponized AI to deploy deepfakes and bot-driven campaigns aimed at stoking racial and economic tensions. China’s “Spamouflage Dragon” spam network operation specifically targeted American elections, attempting to create discord and promote pro-China narratives. In some 2022 midterm races, Beijing actively boosted pro-China U.S. candidates and undermined those opposing its interests, according to a report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

Grassroots initiatives such as fact-checking collectives and “community note” efforts show promise in countering these disinformation tactics. However, these efforts often trigger deeper cultural divisions in today's polarized political climate, turning information into a battlefield of competing digital tribes.

The internet has reinforced ideological echo chambers rather than uniting Americans. Users now gravitate toward “digital tribes,” who “identify with one another through their collective interests and behaviors” rather than their demographic traits. This reinforces their biases rather than engaging with diverse perspectives or promoting unbiased research for the truth.

Emerging technologies like virtual reality (VR) further deepen these fractures. A 2023 Stanford VR Lab study found that VR-based misinformation was 30% more persuasive than traditional text-based misinformation, making radicalization more potent for domestic extremism on both sides of the political spectrum or, worse, foreign influence operations.

According to the Pew Research Center, deep partisan divides exist on crucial issues such as the economy, social justice, climate change, law enforcement, and international engagement. As psychologist Jessica Koehler describes in Tribalism in the Age of Social Media, “these divisions foster instability and anxiety,” leading some to seek alternative governance models or further polarization. This rising fragmentation has become a national security concern. Foreign adversaries capitalize on these vulnerabilities, negatively influencing Americans by fostering dissent and discord to destabilize the nation from within.

Adversaries thrive on America’s division. Russia’s “Doppelgänger” operation, linked to Kremlin-controlled firms, created fake news outlets designed to erode support for Ukraine, influencing a percentage of voters, according to a 2024 FBI Special Agent affidavit filed in a Pennsylvania District Court.

China’s “Cyber Troops”—now over two million strong—saturate social media with CCP narratives. Through its united front work strategy, which Chinese Premier Xi Jinping has called a "magic weapon," the CCP “uses every tool at its disposal, whether legal or illegal, to influence the American public and interfere in democratic societies.” Meanwhile, Iran’s Storm-2035 group, per Microsoft, has targeted U.S. voters with polarizing fake news sites designed to deepen domestic rifts.

Additionally, China’s pursuit of “discourse power”— a strategy to promote pro-China narratives while criticizing geopolitical rivals —marks a shift from its historical non-intervention stance. Through state-controlled outlets like Global Times, which reaches millions of Americans, Beijing frames economic issues, such as semiconductor shortages, as the result of American policy, subtly reshaping global perceptions.

Despite their aggressive campaigns, these adversaries are not invulnerable. Russia’s corruption, Iran’s terror sponsorship, and China’s staggering 303% debt-to-GDP ratio reveal significant cracks in their systems—weaknesses the U.S. can strategically exploit.

Hong Kong’s high social media penetration (86.2% of its population) provides an avenue for countering CCP narratives. Meanwhile, competing CCP influence platforms like Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) and Douyin remain polarized with the Chinese youth and are avenues for exploitation; they are gaining significant traction with American youth, stressing the importance of understanding and countering what they are exposed to.

In an era dominated by AI-driven media, maintaining control of the narrative is paramount for national security. The geopolitical landscape operates like a marketplace, where nations “sell” their governance models, economic policies, cultural influence, and security assurances.

For example, China manipulates perceptions by underreporting its military spending—officially listed at $239 billion yet estimated by the American Enterprise Institute to be closer to $700 billion. Such distortions could mislead U.S. policymakers into underfunding defense, weakening deterrence, and eroding global confidence in American power.

America requires a proactive approach to reclaiming the cognitive domain. The CHIPS Act (2022) and export controls address economic theft but do not combat the narratives enabling it. The U.S. needs a dedicated “Information Security Council” (ISC), led by an Information Security Advisor (ISA), to coordinate efforts across executive agencies such as the White House, Department of State (DOS), DoD, FBI, and ODNI, as well as leading cybersecurity and tech firms.

Its authority would mirror the National Security Advisor (NSA) and National Security Council’s (NSC) advisory and coordination roles but with a distinct mandate: to craft, protect, and project America’s story while dismantling adversaries’ distortions, pitting "freedom and limited government" against the CCP’s centralized authoritative vision.

The ISA/ISC wouldn’t duplicate the cybersecurity (CISA) domain or intelligence gathering (DNI) purview. It is more than securing information or interpreting intelligence. Instead, it would harness these agencies—alongside DoD expertise—to monitor real-time social media, counter AI-driven threats like deepfakes, and preemptively shape global perceptions. For instance, it could coordinate with CISA to identify a Russian disinformation surge, tap DNI for context, and deploy an accurate unified response across federal agencies, states, and private platforms like X or Facebook. It focuses on addressing harmful narratives and managing them in a proactive national narrative approach rather than generating or crafting misinformation.

The ISC’s mission would focus on shaping narratives—leveraging social media, AI-driven monitoring, and rapid-response initiatives to preempt adversarial disinformation. Such a strategy would bolster grassroots efforts in media literacy, ensuring that America not only reacts to threats but actively sets the global agenda.

The war for information rages on, with adversaries exploiting America’s open platforms and deepening divisions to tilt the cognitive domain in their favor. Yet, they have not claimed victory—the narrative remains contested, and the U.S. retains the tools to prevail. To do so, its security apparatus must evolve: harnessing data to outpace AI-driven threats, amplifying its technological and cultural strengths, and reclaiming the story of freedom through Western ideals and innovation.

This requires more than a reaction—it demands a proactive leap. As Ed Haugland argues in Future Military Intelligence CONOPS, “open-source mastery”—the ability to leverage publicly available information as a strategic asset—offers a path forward. Investments like the CHIPS Act and civic efforts in media literacy are steps. Still, to dominate the information battlefield, they must coalesce into a unified strategy, perhaps led by an Information Security Council.

America stands at a crossroads. Seize the cognitive domain with focus, unity, and bold adaptation, and it can not only defend its global leadership but redefine it for a digital age. Hesitate, and the narrative—and its power—will slip to those who act without restraint. This fight is winnable, but only if we choose to wage it.

Major General Don McGregor (USAF, ret.) is a combat veteran and an F-16 fighter pilot. While serving as a General Officer in the Pentagon, he was the National Guard Director of Strategy, Policy, Plans, and International Affairs, advising a four-star Joint Chiefs of Staff member. He is an expert in defense strategy, policy, planning, and global security and has been published in several defense news outlets. He holds a B.A. in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in Diplomacy and International Conflict Resolution from Norwich University.