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Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 15, 2025, aimed at gutting the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees major news outlets like Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. This sweeping action is part of Trump’s broader initiative to shrink the federal government’s size, and it jeopardizes the future of these critical global broadcasters.

The executive order effectively placed VOA and its affiliates on life support, with 1,300 employees, including VOA director Mike Abramowitz, placed on paid leave. An email from Crystal Thomas, the USAGM human resources director, notified staff that all freelance workers and international contractors would no longer receive payment following the termination of federal grants. The order mandates that these agencies be reduced to their “minimum presence and function,” leaving many questioning whether VOA, with its long history of independent reporting, will survive.

Founded in 1942 to counter Nazi and Japanese propaganda, VOA’s mission has expanded to combat misinformation from authoritarian regimes like China, Russia, and Iran. With broadcasts in 48 languages reaching 400 million people globally, VOA has been a cornerstone of U.S. diplomatic efforts to promote freedom of the press worldwide. However, under Trump’s directive, its mission now faces an uncertain future.

Critics of the decision, including press freedom organizations, have condemned the move as a direct attack on global journalism. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) argue that the closure of these outlets will leave millions of people in countries with repressive regimes without access to reliable information. Stephen Capus, president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, called it an “enormous gift to America’s adversaries,” noting that Russia, China, and Iran would undoubtedly rejoice at the loss of these independent voices.

The shutdown’s timing is particularly significant as Trump’s ally, Elon Musk, has used his platform to endorse cutting funding for VOA, calling it unnecessary publicly. The closure of VOA and its affiliates represents not just an erosion of U.S. global influence but also an effort to silence the free press — a blow to those who have relied on these stations for uncensored news and a counter-narrative to authoritarian regimes.

While Trump’s critics and press freedom advocates decry the move, some speculate that it is merely the first step in a larger strategy to decimate U.S.-funded global media, as Trump continues to make sweeping cuts to federal agencies like those that fund homelessness prevention, museums, and libraries.