Reporters With out Borders slammed the choice, saying it “threatens press freedom worldwide”.
Almost all Voice of America (VOA) workers members have been positioned on depart after United States President Donald Trump signed an government order gutting the government-run information company.
On Friday evening, Trump ordered his administration to scale back a number of companies to the minimal required by legislation underneath an order titled “Persevering with the Discount of the Federal Paperwork”.
The choice affected the US Company for International Media (USAGM), housing Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and Asia, and Radio Marti, which broadcasts Spanish-language information in Cuba.
The press advocacy group Reporters With out Borders slammed the choice, saying it “threatens press freedom worldwide and negates 80 years of American historical past in supporting a free move of data”.
The choice to intestine the government-run, pro-democracy information company comes as Republicans have accused publicly funded media shops of being biased in opposition to conservatives.
In a press release, the White Home stated Trump’s government orders “will be sure that taxpayers are now not on the hook for radical propaganda” earlier than itemizing criticisms of VOA, together with allegations of left-wing bias.
On Saturday morning, Kari Lake, a US Senate candidate whom Trump named a senior adviser to the company, wrote on X that staff ought to test their emails.
BREAKING—The President has issued an Govt Order titled Persevering with the Discount of the Federal Paperwork. It impacts USAGM and its shops VOA and OCB.
If you’re an worker of the company please test your e-mail instantly for extra info.
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) March 15, 2025
Voice of America director Michael Abramowitz wrote in a LinkedIn submit that “just about” his complete workers of 1,300 journalists, producers, and assistants had been placed on administrative depart, together with himself.
“I’m deeply saddened that for the primary time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced,” Abramowitz stated.
“VOA promotes freedom and democracy all over the world by telling America’s story and by offering goal and balanced information and data, particularly for these residing underneath tyranny,” Abramowitz stated.
VOA, which was based in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda, reaches 360 million folks per week and operates in practically 50 languages.
Notices of termination had been additionally despatched to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, whose president and CEO, Stephen Capus, stated in a press release that the choice could be a “large reward to America’s enemies”.
“We’ve benefitted from sturdy bipartisan assist all through RFE/RL’s (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) storied historical past. With out us, the practically 50 million folks in closed societies who rely upon us for correct information and data every week received’t have entry to the reality about America and the world,” Capus stated on Saturday.
The order to considerably scale back authorities companies additionally included the Woodrow Wilson Worldwide Heart for Students, the Institute of Museum and Library Companies, and the US Interagency Council on Homelessness.
