The recent actions by President Donald Trump are making waves across political and public domains. On March 15, 2025, Trump signed an executive order gutting the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and six other federal agencies, driven by a stated desire to shrink bureaucracy.
- More than 1,300 Voice of America employees placed on administrative leave
- Funding terminated for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia
- Seven agencies targeted to reduce operations to minimum required by law
- Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has already cut over 100,000 federal jobs
Impact on the Federal Workforce
The implications of these cuts on the federal workforce are considerable, with immediate effects already being felt across multiple agencies dependent on federal funding.
- Voice of America operations crippled after 83 years of broadcasting
- USAGM employs roughly 3,500 workers with an $886-million budget in 2024
- VOA staff locked out of company systems and accounts
- Kari Lake, Trump loyalist nominated as VOA director, called USAGM “not salvageable”
Public and Political Reactions
The announcement has elicited a spectrum of reactions from both press freedom advocates and political spheres. Critics warn of the detrimental impacts these measures could have on journalism in authoritarian countries.
- National Press Club: Cuts undermine America’s commitment to free press
- Reporters Without Borders: Move “threatens press freedom worldwide”
- Czech Foreign Minister: Radio Free Europe was a “beacon” for populations under totalitarian rule
- White House statement claims taxpayers will no longer fund “radical propaganda”
President Trump’s latest initiative represents a significant restructuring of government-funded media outlets that broadcast to authoritarian regimes. As these plans unfold, the balance between reducing government spending and maintaining America’s international media presence remains a central point of contention.