U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has suspended operations at Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia, and other federally funded media outlets, escalating efforts to reduce government spending. On Saturday, hundreds of journalists and staff received emails instructing them to leave offices, surrender press credentials, and return equipment immediately.
The move follows an executive order issued Friday designating the U.S. Agency for Global Media as part of the "unnecessary federal bureaucracy." This marks the latest in a series of agency reductions, including earlier cuts to education and foreign aid programs.
Kari Lake, a prominent Trump ally newly appointed to lead the media agency, stated federal grants for these outlets no longer align with "agency priorities." Meanwhile, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields sparked controversy with a social media post saying "goodbye" in 20 languages, seemingly mocking VOA’s multilingual reporting.
Radio Free Asia, which focuses on uncensored news in Asian countries, faces significant disruptions. Observers warn the decision could impact global media access, particularly in regions reliant on U.S.-funded broadcasting.
