Musk-backed conspiracy theory made it into the new defense bill

With conspiratorial attacks on federal disinformation experts, independent researchers and media watchdogs, conservatives have been on a quest to quash efforts to help stop the spread of false and manipulative information online. And it seems Republicans have now succeeded in tying that crusade to the $886 billion defense bill that was just passed by Congress.

On Tuesday, Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., touted an amendment he succeeded in adding to the National Defense Authorization Act that appears to bar the Pentagon from using NewsGuard — an independent organization that rates news websites — or similar entities to help the military determine where to place recruitment ads.