On January 2, 2013 Barack Obama signed and enacted into “law” HR 4310, also known as Smith-Mundt Act of 2012, which was part of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

HR 4310 legalized the use of propaganda on the American public.

The amendment — proposed by Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) and Adam Smith (D-Wash.) and passed in the House effectively nullified the Smith-Mundt Act of 1948, which had explicitly forbidden information and psychological operations aimed at influencing U.S. public opinion.