Trump’s Executive Order Shuts Down Voice of America
More than 1,300 Voice of America (VOA) employees were placed on administrative leave on Saturday, effectively halting operations at the government-funded international broadcaster, Reuters reports.
The decision follows an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump on Friday, mandating the downsizing of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and six other federal agencies.
The directive also cuts funding for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Radio Free Asia, which provide independent news in countries such as Russia, Ukraine, China, and North Korea.
“I am deeply saddened that for the first time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced,” said VOA Director Michael Abramowitz in a LinkedIn post. “It has played an important role in the fight for freedom and democracy around the world.”
VOA, founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda, reaches about 360 million people weekly in nearly 50 languages. USAGM employs around 3,500 workers and had an $886 million budget in 2024, according to its latest report to Congress.
The suspension has already affected employees. VOA’s Seoul Bureau Chief William Gallo confirmed he had been locked out of all company systems and accounts.
“All I’ve ever wanted to do is shoot straight and tell the truth, no matter what government I was covering. If that’s a threat to anyone, so be it,” Gallo wrote on Bluesky.
Trump’s cuts align with his broader push to reduce government spending and restructure U.S.-funded media. Kari Lake, a former news anchor and Trump loyalist nominated to lead VOA, called USAGM “a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer.”
“It is not salvageable,” Lake stated, adding that she would shrink the agency to the minimum size allowed by law.
The move has drawn criticism internationally. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský described Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty as a “beacon” for people under authoritarian rule.
“From Belarus to Iran, from Russia to Afghanistan, RFE and Voice of America are among the few free sources for people living without freedom,” Lipavský wrote on X.
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