Two years after taking office, President Trump made a secret decision that allowed the CIA to start a hidden campaign on Chinese social media.
The goal? To make people in China doubt their government. This secret plan, which Reuters just revealed, involved CIA agents pretending to be someone else online. They spread stories and information that made the Chinese government look bad, especially criticizing their big projects in other countries as corrupt.
This campaign wasn't just about making China look bad. It was a response to China's own efforts to grow its influence worldwide, building military and trade connections all over, especially in developing countries.
By leaking certain truths in a secretive way, the U.S. hoped to make China's leaders paranoid, wasting their energy on chasing these fake threats.
Officials from the CIA and the Biden administration wouldn't talk about this program or even if it's still happening. But it's clear that this move by Trump was a big deal, similar to the spy games between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Some people think this was a bold but risky way to push back against China's growing power.
However, there's worry about the consequences. Such secret actions can backfire, making China's claims of being bullied by the West seem more believable to some. It might even put innocent people at risk by making it seem like they're working for the CIA. This whole story reminds us of the tricky and sometimes dangerous ways countries try to influence each other, not always thinking about the long-term effects.