The State Department is scrubbing its X accounts of all posts from before Trump's second term

The State Department is controversially removing the entire post history from its various X accounts, including those of US embassies, necessitating a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to access the deleted content. This broad removal encompasses all posts preceding President Trump's current term, affecting content from the Biden and Obama administrations, as well as posts from Trump’s first term. Crucially, unlike previous administrative transitions, the deleted social media history will not be preserved in a publicly accessible archive. A State Department spokesperson confirmed the action to NPR, explaining that the goal is "to limit confusion on U.S government policy and to speak with one voice" to advance the current administration's messaging. The department claims the move is intended to "preserve history while promoting the present" and considers the X accounts essential tools for advancing "America First goals." The State Department's actions align with a broader pattern of the Trump administration purging information from government websites since taking office. This systematic information removal was highlighted by the recent, unexpected temporary removal of the CIA’s World Factbook, a vital online resource since 1997. The State Department's decision means a significant portion of its digital diplomatic record will be immediately unavailable to the public.