Trump’s executive order disbands the U.S. Agency for Global Media, including Voice of America. The order also impacts global broadcasts.

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Kalé Carey Reporter

Politics

Trump to shut down Voice of America, cites ‘radical propaganda’

3 hrs ago

Kalé Carey Reporter

By Kalé Carey (Reporter), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

President DonaldTrump’s executive order mandates the elimination of the U.S. Agency for Global Media. The directive aims to shrink federal agencies deemed inefficient or unnecessary.
Trump criticized Voice of America, established in 1942, as “radical propaganda.”
Trump’s order will also affect Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia and Cuba’s Radio and Television Martí.

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President Donald Trump is preparing to eliminate America’s largest federally funded news outlet. An executive order issued Friday, March 14, mandates the disbanding of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, or USAGM, including its individual networks.

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Efforts to shrink federal agencies

The directive outlines Trump’s goal to reduce the size of federal agencies deemed unnecessary or inefficient, stating a need to “reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law.”

In compliance with the order, a majority of USAGM staff were placed on paid leave as of March 15.

“I am deeply saddened that for the 1st time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced. VOA needs thoughtful reform & we have made progress in that regard.”
Michael Abramowitz, Voice of America Director

What is Voice of America?

This move includes the shutdown of Voice of America (VOA), a news agency established in 1942 during pivotal moments in U.S. history. VOA made its first broadcast during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda, joining other global leaders on the airwaves. It has since grown to an audience of over 354 million people worldwide, according to VOA’s website.

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VOA has long prided itself on being built on the freedom of the press, establishing a “firewall” in 1994 to protect its editorial independence. This system was designed to guarantee credibility and uphold the highest professional standards for journalists.

Trump said he strongly disagrees with VOA’s operations, labeling the agency’s work as “radical propaganda.” In the aftermath of the executive order, the White House shared its reasoning, including statements from a former VOA correspondent who described the outlet as a rogue operation aligned with mainstream media.

The White House also pointed to specific VOA coverage, including stories on transgender migrants, white privilege and Russia’s alleged influence on Trump, all stories that received significant criticism.

“Agency is not salvageable”

USAGM Senior Advisor Kari Lake, a Trump appointee, echoed the sentiment that VOA is beyond saving. She called it a risk to national security and a waste of taxpayer money. While VOA had talented public servants, she said most were trying to ‘Trump-proof’ the agency.

USAGM also funds Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, which broadcast news to countries under authoritarian regimes. Trump’s order will affect those outlets, as well as Cuba’s Radio and Television Martí, which were established under President Ronald Reagan to promote democracy in Cuba.

USAGM has until Friday, March 21 to report to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on which of its functions are legally required under federal law. OMB said it will reject any budget requests that conflict with Trump’s executive order unless they are necessary for a pending closure.

Tags: China, Donald Trump, Executive Order, Journalism, Kari Lake, People’s Republic of China, Press Freedom

[Kalé Carey]

PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ELIMINATING AMERICA’S LARGEST FEDERALLY FUNDED NEWS OUTLET, WITH AN EXECUTIVE ORDER FRIDAY ORDERING THE U.S. AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA TO BE DISBANDED, INCLUDING ALL OF ITS INDIVIDUAL NETWORKS.

THE DIRECTIVE STATES TRUMP IS WORKING TO SHRINK FEDERAL AGENCIES HE DEEMS UNNECESSARY OR INEFFICIENT, EXPLAINING A NEED TO , “reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law”

IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PRESIDENT, MAJORITY OF USAGM STAFF WERE PLACED ON PAID LEAVE ON MARCH 15.

(“This is the voice of america from Washington D.C. signing on”)

THIS INCLUDES VOICE OF AMERICA, A NEWS AGENCY ESTABLISHED IN 1942 DURING CRITICAL MOMENTS IN HISTORY.

(“Today America has been at war for 79 days.”)

DURING WORLD WAR TWO, VOA MADE ITS FIRST BROADCAST TO COUNTER NAZI PROPAGANDA AND JOIN OTHER GLOBAL LEADERS ON THE AIRWAVES. IT HAS SINCE GROWN TO AN AUDIENCE OF OVER 354 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE.

IN A STATEMENT, VOA’S DIRECTOR SAYS, “I am deeply saddened that for the 1st time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced. VOA needs thoughtful reform & we have made progress in that regard.”

VOA SAYS THEY’RE BUILT ON THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, ESTABLISHING WHAT’S KNOWN AS THE “FIREWALL” IN 1994 TO GUARANTEE CREDIBILITY AND UPHOLD THE HIGHEST PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR JOURNALISTS.

[SHOW SCREENGRAB AND HIGHLIGHT ‘RADICAL PROPAGANDA’] ]

https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/03/the-voice-of-radical-america/

PRESIDENT TRUMP DISAGREES, CALLING THE AGENCY’S WORK RADICAL PROPAGANDA. AFTER HIS EXECUTIVE ORDER, THE WHITE HOUSE SHARED THEIR REASONS, INCLUDING CLAIMS FROM A 34-YEAR-OLD FORMER VOA CORRESPONDENT WHO CALLED THE OUTLET A ROGUE OPERATION ALIGNING WITH MAINSTREAM MEDIA.

THE WHITE HOUSE ALSO SAYS VOA STAFF COULD NOT REFER TO HAMAS AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION UNLESS QUOTING A STATEMENT.

THEY POINT TO MULTIPLE STORIES COVERED BY VOA, LIKE TRANSGENDER MIGRANTS SEEKING ASYLUM, WHITE PRIVILEGE, AND RUSSIA’S ALLEGED EFFORTS TO HELP TRUMP—ALL STORIES THAT RECEIVED CRITICISM.

USAGM SENIOR ADVISOR KARI LAKE, APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS THE AGENCY IS BEYOND SAVING, ARGUING NOT ONLY IS IT A RISK TO NATIONAL SECURITY, BUT ALSO A WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY.

LAKE SAYS WHILE VOA HAD TALENT PUBLIC SERVANTS–MOST WERE TRYING TO ‘TRUMP PROOF THE AGENCY, SAYING “I look forward to moving forward with modernizing the core mission of telling America’s story throughout the world in a meaningful, impactful and effective way.”

USAGM ALSO FUNDS RADIO FREE EUROPE AND RADIO FREE ASIA, WHICH BROADCAST NEWS TO COUNTRIES UNDER AUTHORITARIAN RULE. TRUMP’S ORDER WOULD ALSO IMPACT CUBANS WHO WATCH AND LISTEN TO RADIO AND TELEVISION MARTÍ ACROSS THE ISLAND. THESE STATIONS WERE PUT IN PLACE BY PRESIDENT REAGAN IN CUBA AS A WAY TO INCREASE DEMOCRACY WITHIN THE COUNTRY.

THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS LONG DISAGREED WITH VOA AND RFA, LABELING THEIR STORIES CRITICAL OF CHINA AS FALSE NARRATIVES ABOUT LIFE IN THE COUNTRY.

THE U.S. AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA HAS UNTIL FRIDAY TO TELL THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET WHICH FUNCTIONS ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED UNDER FEDERAL LAW.

IF BUDGET REQUESTS ARE SUBMITTED, THE OMB DIRECTOR WILL REJECT FUNDING IF IT GOES AGAINST TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER—UNLESS IT’S NEEDED TO CARRY OUT A PENDING CLOSURE.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M KALÉ CAREY.

Trump to shut down Voice of America, cites ‘radical propaganda’

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