U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered significant staff reductions at seven federal agencies as part of his broader fight against the “government bureaucracy”, BBC’s Russian Service reported on March 15. An executive order published on the White House website lists organizations that must “reduce their statutory functions and personnel to the minimum presence and functions required by law.”
Among them is the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees five major American media corporations broadcasting in 49 languages, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Voice of America (VOA).
The list also includes the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Minority Business Development Agency, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, and others.
Trump’s executive order states that by March 21, the heads of the seven agencies must submit a report to the Office of Management and Budget, confirming they have fully complied with the order’s requirements regarding reductions and budget reorganization.
A few hours after the order was published, journalist Tara Palmeri shared a letter on X (formerly Twitter), reportedly from USAGM, announcing the termination of a grant funding RFE/RL, despite its approval by the U.S. Congress.
The letter was signed by Kari Lake, who identified herself as a “senior advisor at USAGM, acting as CEO with delegated authority.” Lake, a former TV anchor and Republican gubernatorial candidate in Arizona, was nominated by Trump to lead Voice of America. However, her candidacy still requires approval from the International Broadcasting Advisory Board.
A day before Trump’s executive order, Kari Lake announced she was severing contracts with the "Big Three" news agencies – Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse. This decision effectively cut off journalists working under USAGM, including RFE/RL and VOA, from accessing news feeds, videos, and photographs from these major agencies.
On X, she justified this decision by stating that an “established and respected corporation like USAGM should not buy news from others but should produce its own.”
VOA confirmed that all employees received an email informing them that they were being placed on paid leave at this stage.
A CBS source reported that contributors to organizations within the USAGM network would not receive payment for their services due to a lack of funds.
Reaction to the order
VOA CEO Michael Abramowitz stated that nearly the entire VOA staff—over 1,300 journalists, producers, and support personnel—had been placed on administrative leave, including himself.
Abramowitz warned that these measures “strip Voice of America of its ability to fulfill its critical mission”:
“This mission is especially vital today, as adversaries of America, such as Iran, China, and Russia, pour billions of dollars into crafting false narratives to discredit the United States.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged U.S. Congressional leaders to take action to protect USAGM from the consequences of Trump’s order.
“It is outrageous that the White House is attempting to cut funding for an agency approved by Congress and committed to independent journalism while it counters the narratives of authoritarian regimes worldwide," said Carlos Martinez de la Serna, CPJ’s program director.
RFE/RL CEO Steven Capus also condemned the funding termination: “Canceling the grant agreement for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty would be a huge gift to America’s enemies. The Iranian ayatollahs, Chinese Communist leaders, and autocrats in Moscow and Minsk will celebrate the closure of RFE/RL after 75 years of operation. Allowing our adversaries to win makes them stronger—and America weaker.”
USAGM oversees broadcasting companies operating in 49 languages, with a combined weekly audience of over 361 million people—a scale comparable to the BBC World Service, which is partially funded by the UK government and partially by the BBC's own budget.
The agency’s 2025 budget request amounted to US$950 million.
Trump has consistently accused mainstream media of being biased against him. This week, speaking at the Department of Justice, he labeled CNN and MSNBC as “corrupt” and “illegal” without providing evidence.
Following media criticism of the decision to cut Voice of America’s funding, the White House released a statement citing reports from right-wing media alleging that the broadcaster's content was biased.
