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Washington, DC - The Global Engagement Center is an interagency entity, housed at the State Department, which is charged with coordinating U.S. counterterrorism messaging to foreign audiences.

It was established pursuant to Executive Order 13721, signed by President Obama on March 14, 2016. As stated in the Executive Order, the Center “shall lead the coordination, integration, and synchronization of Government-wide communications activities directed at foreign audiences abroad in order to counter the messaging and diminish the influence of international terrorist organizations,” such as ISIL.

The Center plays a key role in the Obama Administration’s revamped strategy to counter ISIL’s messaging. Designed to be an agile, innovative organization, the Center uses modern, cutting-edge technology and takes advantage of the best talent and tools throughout the private sector and government.

The Global Engagement Center replaced the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications. The new strategy seeks to be more effective in the information space and is focused on partner-driven messaging and data analytics.

The Obama Administration recognizes that, fundamentally, any long-term strategy to counter violent extremism cannot focus solely on military action. This is why the Center is focused on bringing together and enabling a global network to confront the hateful messages ISIL puts out daily that recruit and inspire people to commit violence. Our messaging efforts are focused on decreasing the allure of ISIL and preventing the recruitment of new extremists.

Counter-messaging—in other words, discrediting ISIL’s nihilistic and hateful vision to potential and current sympathizers—is one piece of our multi-faceted, whole-of-government approach to countering violent extremism and defeating ISIL.

The Center is led by Special Envoy and Coordinator Michael Lumpkin. Immediately prior to this position, he served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict. He has more than 20 years of active duty military service as a U.S. Navy SEAL, where he held every leadership position from platoon commander to team commanding officer.

Organization

The work of the Center is focused around four core areas:

Goals of the Global Engagement Center

The Center’s overarching goal is to expose ISIL’s true nature—and that of other violent extremist organizations—thereby diminishing their influence and decreasing these organizations’ allure in the eyes of potential recruits and sympathizers.

Additionally, the Center strives to: