Government operations and workforce

Executive Order 13283: Establishing the Office of Global Communications

President: George W. Bush

Created a White House Office of Global Communications to coordinate international public information and counter disinformation about United States policy.

Status: Revoked — by EO 13385 on September 29, 2005.

Is Executive Order 13283 still in effect? No. EO 13385 revoked it in 2005.

What does Executive Order 13283 do?

The order assigned these duties: White House Office of Global Communications, State Department and executive agencies — Created a White House Office of Global Communications to coordinate international public information and counter disinformation about United States policy.

Checked the Office of Global Communications’ creation and later disposition against the signed order and Federal Register record. EO 13385 revoked EO 13283 in 2005.

Administration position: The order’s policy rationale is described in its text and administration records. Implementation and legal observations below are based on the cited official sources.
SignedJanuary 21, 2003
IssuerPresident George W. Bush
Lead agencies or officialsWhite House Office of Global Communications, State Department and executive agencies
Express timingImmediate; continuing coordination and reporting

Before and after

Before the order

Public diplomacy and international communications were divided among White House and agency offices without the coordinating structure specified by this order.

After the order

The office coordinated messaging during the Iraq war and later functions were handled through reorganized White House and State Department public-diplomacy structures. EO 13385 revoked EO 13283 in 2005.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
White House Office of Global Communications, State Department and executive agenciesCreated a White House Office of Global Communications to coordinate international public information and counter disinformation about United States policy.Immediate; continuing coordination and reporting

What happened next

EO 13283 signed.

2003–08 — The office coordinated interagency public communications. Later administrations reorganized the function through their own authorities.

EO 13385 revoked EO 13283.