Trump’s move to silence pro-democracy media sparks outrage – POLITICO Europe
Voice of America and Radio Free Europe among outlets forced to make cuts as U.S. seeks to curtail funding. U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to stop financing U.S.-funded media including Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is stirring anger and indignation.On Saturday, journalists from VOA, RFE/RL and other U.S.-funded media outlets were put on leave or otherwise told to stop work after Trump moved to effectively freeze funding to media that have correspondents all over the world and provide coverage of regions including Eastern Europe and Central Asia.“These media outlets have been a beacon of truth, democracy, and hope for millions of people around the world,” the European Commission told POLITICO on Sunday. “In an age of unmoderated content and fake news, journalism and freedom of press are critical for democracy,” it said.“This decision risks benefiting our common adversaries,” the EU executive added.“I am deeply saddened that for the first time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced,” VOA’s director Michael Abramowitz said on Saturday, announcing that more than 1,300 VOA journalists and employees, including himself, have been placed on administrative leave.Trump on Friday signed an executive order to reduce to the minimum the functions of several agencies, including the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM,) which oversees media including VOA, RFE/RL, Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks.“The cancellation of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty grant agreement will be a huge gift to America’s enemies,” RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said on Saturday.“The Iranian Ayatollahs, Chinese communist leaders, and autocrats in Moscow and Minsk would celebrate the demise of RFE/RL after 75 years. Handing our adversaries a win would make them stronger and America weaker,” Capus said. VOA and RFE/RL are designated as undesirable foreign organizations by Russia.Radio Free Asia is expected to start furloughing some of its staff in the coming days, POLITICO reported on Friday.Reporters Without Borders, the international nongovernmental organization, said it “condemns the decision as a departure from the historic role of the United States as a defender of free information.” The NGO called on the U.S. “Congress and the international community to take action against this unprecedented move.”Trump’s administration baselessly accused the affected media of being biased.The decision “will ensure that taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda,” the White House said in a statement on Saturday. Kari Lake, a senior adviser to USAGM appointed by Trump, said “this agency is not salvageable,” arguing that “from top-to-bottom, this agency is a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer.”VOA was created in 1942 and broadcasts globally. Its 1976 charter says the “long-range interests of the United States are served by communicating directly with the peoples of the world.” Laws in the 1990s and 2010s have protected the VOA from interference by U.S. government officials.Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) earlier this month imposed a 30-day freeze on funding USAGM outlets including VOA and RFE/RL, as a possible first step to a permanent cut in government support to those outlets. “Kentucky bourbon has been included as if it were a trade threat,” François Bayrou said in an interview with France Inter.The French prime minister’s opponents were quick to attack him for what they see as a volte-face.“Those who buy Patriot should be offered the new-generation Franco-Italian SAMP/T. Those who buy the F-35, should be offered the Rafale,” French president says. The two also agreed “to continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia,” Washington says.
