In a dramatic policy shift, the Trump administration placed journalists from Voice of America (VOA) and other US-funded media outlets on leave, effectively freezing operations at agencies long seen as critical in countering Russian and Chinese information campaigns. Hundreds of staff members at VOA, Radio Free Asia, and Radio Free Europe received an email instructing them to surrender press passes and office equipment.
Sweeping Cuts and Executive Orders
On Friday, President Trump issued an executive order listing the US Agency for Global Media among “elements of the federal bureaucracy that the president has determined are unnecessary.” This order, echoing recent cuts to other government bodies like the US global aid agency and the Education Department, signals a significant retrenchment in US-funded international media efforts.
Kari Lake, a prominent Trump supporter now leading the media agency after her unsuccessful Senate bid, stated in an email that federal grant money “no longer effectuates agency priorities.” In a pointed gesture, White House press official Harrison Fields posted a multilingual “goodbye” message on X, mocking the outlets’ extensive global coverage.
Impact on Global Broadcasting
VOA Director Michael Abramowitz revealed that approximately 1,300 staffers have been placed on leave. VOA, which broadcasts in 48 languages and reaches 360 million people each week, now faces uncertainty over its ability to carry out its vital mission. Similarly, the head of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Stephen Capus, denounced the funding cuts as “a massive gift to America’s enemies,” warning that the move could undermine decades of US efforts to support the free flow of information.
US-funded media, which reoriented their coverage after the Cold War by focusing more on Russia and China rather than newly democratic Eastern European countries, now risk losing their strategic edge. Meanwhile, Chinese state media have rapidly expanded their services, offering free content to outlets in developing nations—a move that could further erode the influence of US media.
Political and Public Reactions
The decision has stirred heated debates among policymakers and media watchdogs. Advocacy group Reporters Without Borders condemned the move, asserting that it “threatens press freedom worldwide and negates 80 years of American history in supporting the free flow of information.” Top Democrats, including Gregory Meeks and Congresswoman Lois Frankel, issued a joint statement warning that the cuts would “cause lasting damage to US efforts to counter propaganda globally.”
Some VOA employees expressed dismay at the sudden announcement. One anonymous staffer described the directive as “another perfect example of chaos and unpreparedness,” leaving employees uncertain about scheduled programming and their job security. A Radio Free Asia employee further lamented, “It’s not just about losing income. We have reporters working under dangerous conditions in authoritarian countries, and US-based staff now fear deportation if our work visas become invalid.”
The move to curtail funding for US international media is expected to face significant pushback from both within the media community and international allies. With Congress holding the purse strings, critics argue that these sweeping cuts may be challenged in the coming weeks. As the administration continues to assert that taxpayers should not subsidize “radical propaganda,” the future of these decades-old media outlets hangs in the balance.
