U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order targeting the elimination of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America (VOA) and other federally funded international broadcasters.
The move is part of Trump’s broader effort to reduce federal bureaucracy, instructing agencies to scale back operations to the minimum required by law.
Trump’s History with VOA
Trump has clashed with VOA since his first term, often accusing it of bias. For his second term, he appointed former TV journalist Kari Lake as the new VOA director. Lake, a loyal Trump ally, has criticized mainstream media and recently canceled VOA’s contracts with major news agencies like Reuters, Associated Press, and France-Presse.
Elon Musk’s Role in Restructuring
The executive order also reflects Trump’s push to reshape the federal government, delegating key efficiency measures to Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk has advocated for the complete shutdown of VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, arguing they are unnecessary. His initiatives have already led to the potential elimination of over 100,000 federal jobs, a freeze on foreign aid, and the cancellation of thousands of government programs and contracts.
While Lake acknowledged calls to dismantle VOA entirely, she suggested instead that the organization could be reformed under her leadership.
