President Donald Trump’s administration has initiated significant cuts to Voice of America and other government-run, pro-democracy programming as part of the president’s efforts to overhaul government operations without congressional approval. Following the passage of the latest funding bill by Congress on Friday night, Trump instructed his administration to scale back the functions of various agencies to the minimum required by law. This directive impacted the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and Asia, and Radio Marti. Kari Lake, a former Arizona gubernatorial and U.S. Senate candidate appointed by Trump as a senior advisor to the agency, notified employees to check their email on Saturday morning, coinciding with notices placing Voice of America staff on paid administrative leave. Additionally, the agency announced the termination of grants for Radio Free Asia and other programs under its purview. These entities broadcast news from the United States to other countries, with a focus on regions with authoritarian regimes like China, North Korea, and Russia. Together, these networks reach an estimated 427 million individuals and have roots dating back to the Cold War era. Their mission aligns with a network of government-funded organizations, including USAID, aimed at promoting U.S. influence and countering authoritarianism. The recent cutbacks have drawn attention as the Agency for Global Media is an independent entity established by Congress, which passed legislation in 2020 to curb the authority of the agency’s presidential appointees. Trump’s actions to reduce government functions have extended to various agencies, such as the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, and the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. The Trump administration has faced criticism for prior decisions related to Voice of America, including disciplinary actions against a journalist and the termination of contracts allowing VOA to use content from independent news sources like the Associated Press.
