US pressure forces EU, Canada and Lithuania to pull support from Vilnius disinformation summit

The Trump administration pressured a number of foreign partners to cease sponsoring the #Disinfo2026 conference held in Vilnius, Lithuania. In response, the European External Action Service, Global Affairs Canada and Lithuania’s foreign ministry removed their logos from the event’s website and printed materials, covering them with white stickers. The pressure centered on a panel titled “USA as a FIMI threat,” which portrayed the United States as a disinformation actor for the first time at the summit.

US State Department officials, including those from the office of undersecretary Sarah B Rogers, thanked Lithuania for taking US concerns seriously and limiting its participation. While the EU withdrew its official branding, it still provides financial support to the conference. The episode underscores growing US attempts to influence European civil-society forums on free-speech and disinformation issues.