White House 2026 Counterterrorism Strategy Calls for Stronger Counter-Propaganda Measures

The White House has issued its 2026 Counterterrorism Strategy, which calls for the strengthening of efforts to combat propaganda from terrorist organizations. The document, released on May 6, highlights the need for counter-propaganda measures targeting groups including al-Qaeda and the Islamic State Khorasan Province, also known as ISIS-K. It stresses the importance of neutralizing media produced by these groups and monitoring individuals planning attacks.

Prior to recent changes, Voice of America maintained a significant presence in the region. The broadcaster reached more than 354 million people globally and provided 222 hours of programming each week in Pashto, Dari, and Urdu languages targeted at Pakistan and Afghanistan. Reductions implemented under the Trump administration have limited this to just 5 hours per week. Services in Urdu were discontinued entirely, along with one Pashto broadcast focused on the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Aisha Setam, who directs the South and Central Asia division at Voice of America, noted that the reduction has left an information gap that could be exploited by forces with harmful intentions. Earlier efforts by the U.S. Agency for Global Media, as outlined in a 2023 fact sheet, focused on countering misinformation and propaganda associated with al-Qaeda, ISIS, and the Taliban.

In testimony before Congress, Lisa Curtis expressed concerns that further cuts to funding for outlets like Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty might allow terrorist movements to gain more ground. She advocated for sustained support of initiatives aimed at countering extremist ideologies in Central Asia.