Voice of America, Radio Free Asia budgets cut, after US president slashes government media funding

U.S. President Donald Trump has drastically cut funding for several media organizations, including Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia (RFA), and Radio Free Europe (RFE). This move has been described by critics as yet another round of "reckless and arbitrary" funding cuts, raising concerns about its impact on international broadcasting.

As details of the funding cuts' impact emerge, nearly 1,300 Voice of America employees have been placed on "furlough." A U.S. Congressional representative warned that this action would adversely affect American influence in autocratic countries. These media organizations primarily aim to expand and promote American influence and combat authoritarianism in countries with limited or absent press freedom.

The funding cuts occurred after Congress passed the latest appropriations bill. President Trump instructed his administration to reduce the functions of several government agencies to the minimum required by law. This included the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, and Radio Free Cuba, leading to operational adjustments.

Voice of America Director Michael Abramowitz stated, "For the first time in its 83-year history, VOA has been silenced." He added that nearly 1,300 of his journalists, producers, and assistants have been placed on administrative leave. Radio Free Europe CEO Stephen Capus confirmed that the U.S. Agency for Global Media had terminated its funding, creating uncertainty for the organization's future.

International media ethics consultant Thomas Kent stated that this would make it more difficult for the United States to convey its message to the world. "Without international broadcasting, the image of the United States and the Trump administration will be in the hands of others, including opponents of the government, and those countries and people who consider the United States an enemy." U.S. Congressional Representative Ami Bera noted on social platform X that this includes China, and stated that the media cuts would harm American influence and the country's ability to counter China's "authoritarian narrative."

Reportedly, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk, views the funding cuts as part of "ongoing reckless and arbitrary cuts." Musk also joked about the cuts to the U.S. Agency for Global Media on X. Meanwhile, the news advocacy organization "Reporters Without Borders" expressed outrage at the cuts, calling the decision a "threat to global press freedom" and urging Congress and other international stakeholders to unite against the move.

In addition to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, Trump's executive order also targeted other federal agencies for cuts, restricting them to "the minimum level of existence and function required by law." These agencies include the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and the Minority Business Development Agency.