Former U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered funding cuts to the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), affecting news outlets like Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA), which report on authoritarian regimes.
The move has led to thousands of employees being placed on leave, drawing criticism from press freedom advocates who see it as a setback for democracy. The White House defended the decision, arguing it stops taxpayer funding for “radical propaganda.”
Chinese state media welcomed the cuts, with the Global Times calling VOA a “lie factory” and celebrating its downfall. Other authoritarian governments, including Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen, also praised the move. Critics warn that shutting down these outlets benefits oppressive regimes, as they provide critical reporting in places where press freedom is restricted, such as China, North Korea, and Russia.
RFA and VOA have won international recognition for their work, including early reporting on China’s Xinjiang detention camps and North Korean defectors. Former employees, journalists, and press organizations argue that the decision weakens U.S. influence in global media and leaves many journalists vulnerable to persecution.
The Czech Republic has urged the EU to intervene to keep Radio Free Europe operational, and RFA’s leadership plans to challenge the cuts, calling them a “reward to dictators.”
