The Trump administration pressured several governments and the EU's diplomatic service to pull their sponsorship of a leading European disinformation conference, according to the Guardian, with logos removed from the event's website days before it opened.
Key facts
- The Trump administration pressured multiple countries to withdraw sponsorship of #Disinfo2026, the Guardian reports.
- Canada, Lithuania and the EU's diplomatic service agreed to withdraw their sponsorship.
- Sponsor logos were wiped from the conference website days before the event.
- The conference took place Wednesday and Thursday at a hotel in Vilnius, Lithuania.
- #Disinfo2026 is run by an independent Brussels non-profit, EU Disinfo Lab.
The Trump administration pressured multiple countries to withdraw their sponsorship of a leading European conference on disinformation, with Canada, Lithuania and the EU’s diplomatic service subsequently agreeing to do so, the Guardian understands.
The event, #Disinfo2026, took place Wednesday and Thursday and serves as the annual gathering of Europe’s counter-disinformation community. According to the Guardian, it drew hundreds of researchers, journalists, technologists and policymakers to a hotel in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The conference is run by EU Disinfo Lab, an independent Brussels non-profit. Despite the withdrawal of several sponsors, the event went ahead as scheduled.
The Guardian reports that in the days before the conference, sponsor logos were removed from its website, reflecting the decisions by backers to step away following the pressure from Washington.
Among those who agreed to withdraw were Canada, Lithuania and the EU’s diplomatic service, according to the Guardian’s reporting on the episode.
Why it matters
The reported pressure highlights tensions between the Trump administration and European efforts to counter disinformation. The withdrawal of government sponsors from an independent research gathering raises questions about political influence over work aimed at identifying false and misleading information.
Frequently asked questions
Which sponsors withdrew from the conference?
According to the Guardian, Canada, Lithuania and the EU's diplomatic service agreed to withdraw their sponsorship of #Disinfo2026.
Did the conference still take place?
Yes. The Guardian reports the #Disinfo2026 conference took place Wednesday and Thursday at a hotel in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Who organizes #Disinfo2026?
The conference is run by EU Disinfo Lab, an independent Brussels non-profit, and is the annual meetup of Europe's counter-disinformation community.