In a major development, almost all employees of Voice of America (VOA) have been put on administrative leave following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that sought to minimize government-operated news outlets. The move was made late Friday under an order called “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy.”
The order affects the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which manages not just VOA but also other media like Radio Free Europe and Radio Marti, the latter broadcasting Spanish-language news to Cuba.
Press freedom advocacy organization Reporters Without Borders has denounced the order, claiming that it “threatens press freedom around the world and nullifies 80 years of American history in favor of a free flow of information.” This follows on from repeated claims by Republicans that publicly funded media are biased against conservative opinions.
The White House has defended the executive orders, saying they are intended to prevent taxpayers from being financially burdened by “radical propaganda,” pointing to particular criticisms of VOA, such as allegations of left-wing bias.
On Saturday, US Senate candidate and newly named senior adviser to the agency Kari Lake encouraged staff to look at their emails about the developments.
Michael Abramowitz, Voice of America director, disclosed on LinkedIn that almost all of the agency’s 1,300 reporters, producers, and assistants are impacted by this move, including himself. He was deeply saddened by the silencing of an institution that has been in operation for 83 years, adding that VOA has been a symbol of freedom and democracy, delivering unbiased news, especially to people who reside under repressive regimes.
Founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda, VOA reaches approximately 360 million individuals weekly and broadcasts in nearly 50 languages.
Termination notices have also been sent to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, whose president and CEO, Stephen Capus, cautioned that the move is a “massive gift to America’s enemies.” Capus emphasized the critical function RFE/RL performs in providing accurate news to almost 50 million individuals in closed societies, who depend on these media for true information regarding America and the world.
The executive order also takes aim at other federal agencies, such as the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the US Interagency Council on Homelessness, signaling a larger effort to consolidate federal operations.
