‘Giant rot’: Voice of America, Trump’s latest target in his funding crackdown that put 1,300 staff on leave, explained

Voice of America (VOA) was placed in a crisis after more than 1,300 employees were placed on vacation after an executive order by former President Donald Trump. The guidance also ended the financing of American news services to broadcast to authoritarian regimes, paralyzing the organization’s ability to work effectively in about 50 languages.

On March 15, President Trump signed an executive order imposing significant discounts on the United States -funded media organizations, including VOA. This procedure led to an immediate position of more than 1,300 VOA employees on a paid administrative leave.

The director of Voa Michael Abramovits expressed his deep concern, saying that almost no employees present the broadcaster’s mission to provide reliable news to her international fans.

The executive also led to contracts with major news agencies such as Associated Press, Reuters, and France Agency. These partnerships were necessary for content sources and distribution, and ending them raising serious concerns about VOA’s ability to maintain their press standards and global access.

Carrie Lake, which Trump appointed to oversee the organization, estimated that these measures would save $ 53 million. However, critics argue that financial savings come at the expense of undermining a critical platform for an independent press.

What is VOA?

Voa, founded in 1942 to confront Nazi propaganda, was founded alongside her sister networks such as Radio Free Eurobe, was an important source of independent news in authoritarian regimes. And more than 40 languages, VOA reaches a weekly audience of about 326 million people. Collectively, these networks reach more than 420 million people per week in 100 countries, operating as tools for the fully funded diplomacy of the federal dollar and silencing an effective institution that has been a beacon of freedom and since 1942.

From its early days in the face of Nazi propaganda to its role during the Cold War, Voa has been a reliable source of news and cultural content.

What does the administration say?

Carrie Lake, who criticizes the US Agency for World Media (USAGM) as “giant rot and burden to American taxpayer”, pledged to reduce its size legally. Lake’s opposition’s actions have achieved, as she defended the former financial manager of Litner for the agency’s new headquarters as a measure to save costs.

The deputy spokesman for “Farewell” in multiple languages ​​also embodies the management of the administration to restructure these organizations. The Restructuring process follows Trump’s previous criticism of Voa during his first term, which was characterized by the suspension and investigations that were found to violate federal policy. These measures have been considered efforts to practice the most strict control of the operational stories of media networks.

Political motives and global antiquities

Observers note that these measures are of political motives, aimed at exercising greater control of media accounts, especially in areas where Free Press is threatened. Stephen Kabous, President of Europe/Freedom Radio, condemned this step as a “great gift for America’s enemies”, focusing on the fact that reducing the effect of VOA weakens the position of the United States worldwide. This feeling reflects fears that reducing VOA capacity undermines efforts to enhance democratic values ​​and combat authoritarian accounts.

“All I wanted to do before was to shoot straight and tell the truth, regardless of the I was covering. If this is a threat to anyone, then the matter is that,” said William Gallo, head of the Seoul Office in Foy, who was reported to have been closed from the company’s systems. In response, Czech Foreign Minister Jean -Leipvski praised the networks for being “among the few free sources of people who live without freedom.”

With the development of the situation, the legitimacy and the implications of these procedures remain under checking. We have not yet seen how this will affect the task of the long networks and its ability to provide accurate news in the areas where the independent press is threatened.