In a significant restructuring of U.S. government-funded media, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to dismantle the Voice of America (VOA), accusing the agency of promoting biased reporting. The order also affects the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent organization overseeing VOA, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Radio Free Asia.
A senior White House official stated, “Voice of America has been out of step with America for years. It serves as the Voice for Radical America and has pushed divisive propaganda.”
The executive order mandates the reduction of operations for several government entities to their statutory minimums, effectively placing over 1,300 VOA employees on administrative leave and halting funding for related media services. Freelance workers and international contractors have also been notified of funding cessations.
Kari Lake, a senior advisor at USAGM, commented that the agency is “not salvageable,” describing it as “a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer—a national security risk for this nation—and irretrievably broken.”
VOA Director Michael Abramowitz expressed concern over the decision, highlighting VOA’s longstanding role in promoting democracy and providing unbiased news to countries with restricted press freedoms. The move has drawn criticism from press freedom advocates, who argue that dismantling these agencies could embolden authoritarian regimes and diminish the United States’ ability to counter foreign propaganda.
The executive order also targets other agencies, including the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and the Minority Business Development Agency.
This development has raised concerns among international observers about the future of U.S. public diplomacy and the global promotion of free press principles.
