Imagine suddenly losing the team that kept a close eye on other countries trying to interfere with U. S. politics. That is exactly what happened when Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, decided to shut down the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force.

        This move is a big deal. For some years, this task force had been tracking down secret campaigns run by nations like China and Russia. Now, with a simple order in an official memo, the work on these cases has slowed down and penalties for breaking the Foreign Agents Registration Act have been cut.

        Bondi argues this change was made to reallocate resources to more urgent issues and to prevent potential misuse of power.  This move will now prioritize cases that involve traditional espionage by government agents.

        This shift in focus has alarmed many former officials who previously worked in national security. They argue this change makes it harder to fight against foreign influence campaigns.

        Also affected are efforts to seize assets from Russian oligarchs.

        The officials working on these projects are now reassigned to tackle drug cartels and criminal organizations.

        Across the board, FBI agents and support personnel who worked on these task forces are now looking for different assignments.

        Bondi’s decision comes at a time when the FBI has long made disinformation a priority, with some Legal officials questioning its commitment to prosecuting foreign lobbyists.

        This can be confusing, but former government officials are not happy about the new order. They worry it could be a reason for foreign powers to try and influence US politics in ways that could weaken the country.

        It’s not just conservative or liberal politicians who are facing charges for foreign lobbying, but top officials on both sides.

        Meanwhile, the dispute over foreign disinformation has become a political hot potato.

        Some politicians have ignored or even questioned the issue of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Lawsuits and differing opinions have been stirring the pot.

        Does this mean foreign powers will encourage political issues in US? Or will this make the U. S. more vulnerable to manipulation? Do we really need more investigations involving high-profile politicians and business deals with foreign nationals

        However, one thing is clear. Bondi’s decision has stirred controversy and suspicion among former national security experts and political observers.

Stopping the Watchers: New Changes at FBI

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