By Abiola Olawale
United States President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the immediate dismantling of Voice of America (VOA), a government-funded international broadcasting organ established in 1942.
The order cited concerns over alleged bias and misuse of taxpayers’ funds as the primary reasons for the imminent shutdown.
In the executive order, Trump mandated the cessation of all VOA operations within 90 days, including its radio, television, and digital services that reportedly reach an estimated global audience of over 280 million people.
The directive also called for the redirection of VOA’s annual budget to other federal programs.
“Voice of America has strayed far from its original mission,” Trump stated during a brief press conference at the White House.
He continued: “It’s become a mouthpiece for anti-American sentiment and fake news, funded by hardworking American taxpayers. We’re shutting it down and reallocating those resources to better serve our nation’s interests.”
The decision comes after years of tension between the Trump administration and the VOA.
Trump’s administration had pointed to specific instances where VOA’s coverage allegedly appeared to contradict US policy or give undue airtime to adversarial perspectives.
Meanwhile, VOA employees were said to have received notification of the changes via email from Crystal Thomas, USAGM human resources director.
Freelance workers and international contractors were reportedly also informed of a funding halt, while federal grants for Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty were terminated.
Mike Abramowitz, VOA’s director, said he and nearly all 1,300 staff members were placed on paid leave following the order.
Abramowitz added that the move hinders VOA’s critical mission, especially amidst rising misinformation from US adversaries like Iran, China, and Russia.
