Foreign Propagandists for China Later Joined U.S. Federal Agencies

Former Chinese State Media Workers Found Positions Within US Government and Congress

A Washington Examiner investigation has revealed that dozens of former employees of Chinese state-controlled media organizations have secured positions within various branches of the United States federal government and Congress under previous administrations.

Through an examination of public LinkedIn profiles, the Examiner identified numerous individuals who previously worked for Chinese propaganda operations before taking roles at multiple federal agencies. These include the Census Bureau, U.S. Agency for International Development, Voice of America, State Department, Department of Energy, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and in senior congressional positions.

The investigation found that former writers and editors from China Daily, the newspaper owned and operated by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Central Propaganda Department, have been particularly successful in securing congressional positions. One former China Daily editor served as communications director for both the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources under Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and for former Representative Kay Granger.

Similarly, Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-NH) former deputy press secretary previously worked as a marketing associate and editorial coordinator at China Daily, where he helped “establish strategic partnerships with China-focused U.S. organizations” and directed a network of writers.

The People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the CCP, was also represented among congressional staff. Between May 2021 and July 2023, Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee employed a former People’s Daily editor as a policy staffer. This individual has since moved on to become the policy director for Baltimore’s city government.

“There are plenty of qualified and patriotic Americans who have not received a single paycheck from the Chinese Communist Party,” said Michael Lucci, CEO of national security organization State Armor. “Affiliation with one of the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda outlets is a red flag for anyone looking for a government role or for obtaining a security clearance.”

Of particular concern to national security experts is the presence of former Chinese state media employees in positions related to U.S. diplomatic interests. The investigation found that the State Department has hired individuals with such backgrounds as diplomats, digital media coordinators, translators, consultants, and consular officers.

A State Department spokesperson defended their hiring practices, stating, “Every person hired at the State Department undergoes rigorous vetting, background checks, and security clearances process if required for their role. We are continuously working to minimize internal threats and strengthen our operational security across the Department.”

Other Chinese state media organizations with alumni in U.S. government positions include China Global Television Network (CGTN) and China Radio International. The State Department designated CGTN as a foreign mission of China in 2020 due to its strong ties to Beijing. According to researchers at King’s College London, CGTN aims to portray the U.S. as “poorly governed, plutocratic, racist, and a destabilizing international influence” while presenting China as “well governed, benign, stable, and a rising superpower.”

The investigation identified several notable cases, including a communications specialist at USAID who spent nearly a decade at CGTN before joining the federal government, and a Department of Labor communications team lead who was hired directly from CGTN after working there for nearly nine years.

While the Examiner found no evidence that any of these individuals are engaging in espionage or working on behalf of the CCP, their previous employment raises questions about their willingness to participate in Beijing’s propaganda efforts.

“Anyone who worked for the CCP in the last decade either lacked the judgment to avoid working for America’s primary adversary, or lacked the discernment to understand the genocidal one-party state that was signing their paychecks,” Lucci noted.

The full extent of former Chinese state media employees in the U.S. government remains unknown, as many federal workers do not maintain public LinkedIn profiles, and some may omit their Chinese media experience from their work history.