The Committee to Protect Journalists urged Congress to step in on Saturday after a late Friday Executive Order from President Trump announced his aim to gut the parent of Voice of America, the largest U.S. international broadcaster, among other federal agencies.
“It is outrageous that the White House is seeking to gut the Congress-funded agency supporting independent journalism that challenges narratives of authoritarian regimes around the world,” said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna in New York. “We call on congressional leaders to protect this critical agency, which provides uncensored news in countries where the press is restricted.”
The United States Agency for Global Media also funds Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Radio Free Asia, and VOA reached a global audience of more than 350 million in 2023.
The Executive Order “eliminates non-statutory functions and reduces statutory functions of unnecessary governmental entities to what is required by law,” and continues the president’s stated aim to “reduce unnecessary governmental entities and Federal advisory committees.” The result is mass indefinite suspensions of staff.
The move comes after a run-in with a reporter from VOA earlier this week, which could color it as retaliatory. Taking questions in the Oval Office alongside the Irish PM, the reporter asked, “What about the president’s plan to expel Palestinians out of Gaza?” Trump responded, “Nobody is expelling Palestinians. Who are you with?” The reporter replied, “Voice of America” and Trump snapped back, “Oh, no wonder.”
Voice of America was established in 1942 and primarily broadcasts to non-U.S. audiences. The organization was targeted by Trump during his first term over its coverage of the COVID pandemic, with an official White House statement claiming that VOA “spends your money to promote foreign propaganda.”
Other entities affected by Trump’s latest Executive Order include the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Institute of Museum and Library Services, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, Minority Business Development Agency, and Arctic Research Commission.
