U.S. halts funding for ‘Radio Liberty’ and ‘Voice of America’

VOA and RFE/RL suspend operations

On March 14, Donald Trump signed an executive order to cut funding for the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). As a result, both media organizations have ceased operations.

“The President is fulfilling his promise to make our government more efficient. American taxpayers should not be funding anti-American propaganda disguised as journalism,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told USA Today.

Michael Abramowitz, the director of Voice of America, expressed deep sorrow over the decision.

“I am deeply saddened that for the first time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced. I learned this morning that virtually the entire staff of Voice of America — more than 1300 journalists, producers and support staff — has been placed on administrative leave today. So have I,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

Abramowitz emphasized that while media reform is necessary and progress had been made, the recent decision renders Voice of America incapable of fulfilling its crucial mission.

"This mission is especially critical today, when America’s adversaries, like Iran, China, and Russia, are sinking billions of dollars into creating false narratives to discredit the United States," he noted.

The impact on free media

VOA has played a crucial role in promoting freedom and democracy worldwide by telling America’s story and providing objective, balanced news, particularly to those living under oppressive regimes.

“Even if the agency survives in some form, the actions being taken today by the Administration will severely damage Voice of America’s ability to foster a world that is safe and free and in doing so is failing to protect U.S. interests,” Abramowitz added.

For over 80 years, Voice of America has been a valuable asset to the United States, playing a pivotal role in the fight against communism, fascism, and oppression while promoting democracy worldwide. Currently, VOA reaches over 360 million people each week in 48 languages. In many authoritarian states, it remains one of the only reliable sources of news and information.

At the end of his statement, Abramowitz expressed gratitude to VOA’s “incredible staff” who fled authoritarian regimes where journalism is suppressed and have contributed to the promotion of freedom and democracy.

"A huge gift to America’s enemies"

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) also strongly criticized the decision in a statement published on its website:

"The cancellation of our grant agreement is a massive gift to America’s enemies. Seventy-five years later, Iran’s ayatollahs, China’s communist leaders, and autocrats in Moscow and Minsk are celebrating the demise of Radio Liberty. Handing our adversaries a victory strengthens them while making America weaker."

“We have long benefited from strong bipartisan support. Without us, nearly 50 million people in closed societies who rely on us for accurate news each week will be left in the dark about America and the world,” the statement added.

Radio Liberty is an international news organization operating in 23 countries through radio, online platforms, television, and mobile applications, reaching approximately 50 million people weekly. It is funded by the U.S. Congress through USAGM.

Government efficiency reforms

At the start of his second presidential term, Donald Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by businessman Elon Musk. As part of DOGE’s federal government restructuring, tens of thousands of employees across various federal agencies have been laid off.