A controversial new transparency feature launched globally this weekend on Elon Musk’s platform X has revealed that a popular “Republican media” account, which focuses on United States politics, is actually operating from Sri Lanka, France 24 revealed.
This revelation came as part of a wider rollout intended to display the region or country of origin for user accounts, a move that has instantly triggered confusion and ridicule by exposing that numerous viral “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) profiles are run from outside the US. The exposure of the Sri Lankan connection, alongside accounts based in India, Bangladesh, and Eastern Europe, has confirmed long-standing suspicions regarding the prevalence of foreign-operated networks influencing American political discourse online.
The data brought to light by the new tool paints a picture of a vast, coordinated network operating far beyond US borders. Alongside the Sri Lankan-based “Republican media,” the feature identified the massive “MAGA Nation” account—boasting nearly 400,000 followers—and another pro-Trump profile as being based in a non-EU country in Eastern Europe. Other significant locations identified included “American Voice” operating from India and “America First” from Bangladesh. Two of the largest MAGA accounts were also traced to Nigeria before being suspended. Observers have described this exposure as “just the tip of the iceberg,” highlighting how fake profiles and disinformation campaigns have been utilized to sow discord on the platform for years.
The rollout was further complicated by a high-profile controversy involving the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Internet users circulated a screen recording alleging that the official DHS account was based in Israel, sparking immediate outrage given the current geopolitical climate.
In response, X disabled the location feature for government accounts, citing security risks. The DHS vehemently denied the claim, stating their account is operated solely from the United States and suggesting the viral footage was fabricated.
The incident has intensified the debate over the reliability of the new feature, with X’s head of product acknowledging “rough edges” and glitches, such as the Paris-based France 24 English account being incorrectly listed as German.
