Following Charlie Kirk’s murder last month, U.S. officials raised concerns that foreign governments, including Russia, China, and Iran, were using bots and state-run media to spread #disinformation and inflame tensions. Experts note that while these actors have posted thousands of messages spinning the event — blaming Ukraine, Israel, or mocking U.S. instability—most Americans have not seen them, and domestic social media users dominate the conversation. Individual foreign-paid influencers such as Chay Bowes (shown) of Russia's RT Network and bot networks also struggled to gain traction compared with popular U.S. voices. Researchers warn, however, that the U.S. is less prepared than ever to detect and respond to foreign influence, as government units tasked with countering malign online activity have been dismantled, leaving the country 'on the back foot' against potential campaigns. 👉 tipaz.org/latest-news/62bg2f…