#USAGM

[justinspoliticalcorner]

David Folkenflik at NPR:

Journalists showed up at the Voice of America today to broadcast their programs only to be told they had been locked out: Federal officials had embarked on indefinite mass suspensions. All full-time staffers at the Voice of America and the Office for Cuba Broadcasting, which runs Radio and Television Martí, were affected — more than 1,000 employees. The move followed a late Friday night edict from President Trump that its parent agency, called the U.S. Agency for Global Media, must eliminate all activities that are not required by law. In addition, under the leadership of Trump appointees, the agency has severed all contracts for the privately incorporated international broadcasters it funds, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. The termination notices for grants for the funded networks, two of which were reviewed by NPR, carried the signature of Trump's senior adviser Kari Lake, whom he placed at USAGM, not the agency's acting chief executive. Lake does not appear in her current job to have the statutory authority to carry out that termination. "I am deeply saddened that for the 1st time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced," the network's director, Michael Abramowitz, said in a statement posted on his personal Facebook account. "VOA needs thoughtful reform and we have made progress in that regard. But today's action will leave Voice of America unable to carry out its vital mission." He wrote that he was among those 1,300 journalists, producers and support staff put on leave. Grant Turner, the former chief financial officer at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, called it "Bloody Saturday" for the agency and its networks.

'Arsonists just set fire to it'

"From what I hear, this is shaping up to be a really sad day. USAGM networks share important news, information and American values around the world," Turner said. "It took decades to build this goodwill and an audience of hundreds of millions every week. Seeing arsonists just set fire to it all is awful." "The cancellation of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's grant agreement would be a massive gift to America's enemies," Steve Capus, the president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, said in a statement today shared with NPR. "The Iranian Ayatollahs, Chinese communist leaders, and autocrats in Moscow and Minsk would celebrate the demise of RFE/RL after 75 years. Handing our adversaries a win would make them stronger and America weaker. We've benefitted from strong bipartisan support throughout RFE/RL's storied history. Without us, the nearly 50 million people in closed societies who depend on us for accurate news and information each week won't have access to the truth about America and the world." Voice of America Director Michael Abramowitz declined to comment but acknowledged he had been among those put on indefinite paid leave. This story is based on interviews with 16 current and former employees of the U.S. Agency for Global Media and the networks it funds. Almost all spoke on condition they not be named due to fear of professional retribution. NPR has reviewed internal notifications about the suspensions and the killed contracts. Similar notices reviewed by NPR have been received by hundreds of contractors at the Voice of America as well today. USAGM and the White House did not reply to requests for comment. A deputy White House spokesperson tweeted "Goodbye" in 20 languages over a link to a story from 2023 over a controversy at the Voice of America about how to characterize Hamas. Taken together, the federally-funded broadcasters and their sister networks covering the Middle East and Cuba reach 420 million people in 63 languages and more than 100 countries each week, according to the agency. They are fully funded by federal dollars. The networks' mission is to deliver news coverage and cultural programming to places where a free press is threatened or doesn't exist. They are also designed as a form of soft diplomacy, modeling independent journalism that incorporates dissent from government policy.

Trump's friends in Moscow and Budapest aggrieved by network coverage

The Voice of America sparked Trump's ire in his first term in office over reporting on Covid-19. His appointee as chief executive for U.S. Agency for Global Media embarked on a series of suspensions, visa revocations and investigations that were found, in some instances, to violate the law and federal policy. This time, Trump's budget-slashing adviser, Elon Musk, and other administration officials have called for Voice of America and some of the sister networks to be shut down. The scope and legality of these acts are not yet in full focus, but they appear to be designed to gut them and place whatever coverage survives under tighter control of politically appointed officials. Trump placed Lake, a two-time unsuccessful MAGA candidate, as his senior adviser over USAGM. She did not reply to a detailed request for comment for this story. USAGM's media relations team has not replied to NPR's repeated and detailed requests for comment about developments at the networks in recent days, including today. Trump's pick to lead the agency permanently, the conservative media critic L. Brent Bozell III, has not yet been scheduled for confirmation hearings in the U.S. Senate.

Free press-hating Orange Führer’s regime orders mass cullings of journalists working at US Agency For Global Media-owned outlets such as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe.

See Also:

The Guardian: Trump sharpens attacks on US media as Voice of America employees put on administrative leave

[kimandrewelliott]

Some hope after USAGM’s “Bloody Saturday”

My column in the April Journal of the North American Shortwave Association. As usual, events have overtaken some of what I wrote in late March.

Some hope after USAGM’s “Bloody Saturday”

On “Bloody Saturday” (tinyurl.com/23u33p8k), March 15, President Trump closed “to the minimum presence and function required by law” the Voice of America and Office of Cuba Broadcasts (the Martís) and cut off the grants to corporations Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks (Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa). Since then, the news about U.S. international broadcasting has come at a furious pace. Absorbing it is like trying to drink from the proverbial fire hose. I will only be able to touch on a few aspects in this column. More news can be found at my Bluesky feed kaedotcom.bsky.social (I don’t think you need a Bluesky account to read it) and at @kaedotcom on X, where I have reposted many relevant tweets.

When I make predictions in this space, I usually warn readers never to bet on my predictions. But if you bet on my December column, in which I wrote “it would not be surprising if the Trump administration zeroes out the budgets of USAGM and its entities. No more Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, etc.,” you might have enough money to buy one of those expensive HF receivers (if they still sell expensive HF receivers).

Radio Martí first to return, partially

Also in that December column, I also wrote that Radio Martí and its associated internet output would be the exception. “Secretary of State Marco Rubio is Cuban American and largely owes his political career to anti-Castro Cuban Americans in Florida. Rubio will see to it that Radio Martí and its digital platform Martí Noticias are preserved.” That prediction was not correct, because the Martí operation was shut down. But it also came back, at least partially, according to reports emerging March 26. On March 27, the Miami Herald wrote: “Contractors fired due to Trump’s executive order have not been rehired. They make up almost half of the about 75 workers at the Office for Cuba Broadcasting and mainly produce content for the radio station, the website, and an audiovisual production unit that substituted for television programming.” (tinyurl.com/26dp289x) 

I am told that Radio Martí is back on the air from its 1180 kHz medium wave relay from the Florida Keys. I also heard that the USAGM Greenville, North Carolina, shortwave station will return, at least to accommodate Radio Martí broadcasts. Stay tuned.

Republicans’ “silence is deafening”

I am not surprised by the semi-revival of the Martís. It has strong support among Republicans as well as Democratic members of Congress, especially those in Florida. Actually, all of U.S. international broadcasting has enjoyed bipartisan support over the years, but, now, saving USAGM and its entities is almost entirely a Democratic project. Rep. Bill Keating, Subcommittee on Europe ranking member, led forty members of Congress in a letter to Trump: “We urge you to immediately reverse your Executive Order regarding USAGM and restore and implement Congressionally appropriated funds for USAGM and its entities.” (tinyurl.com/24h93k64) I don’t think there was a Republican among the forty. 

And former New York Times Moscow bureau chief Serge Schmemann wrote: “Like other Trump executive orders, the legality of this one is moot. Congress chartered the agency [USAGM] as an independent one, and the lawsuits have begun. Many Republicans were supporters of international broadcasting, but this is another battle that they seem not to be fighting. The silence is deafening.” (tinyurl.com/2yhntk8t) Among the exceptions to the Republicans are Rep. Young Kim (R-CA): “We must restore the USAGM to its intended purpose: a soft-power tool that promotes America’s national security interests.” (tinyurl.com/29wfjp9z) (Note from Old Kim: Audiences tune in the broadcasts of USAGM entities to get credible and reliable news, not to receive messages promoting America’s national security interests.)

RFE/RL’s early victories 

In addition to the Martí resuscitation, RFE/RL has marked some victories. On March 24, with a court hearing looming, the Trump-controlled rump management of USAGM released $7.5 million to cover RFE/RL’s operations for part of March. (tinyurl.com/2b8kalst) Then, on March 25,  Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, issued a temporary restraining order to halt USAGM’s actions to close RFE/RL. RFE/RL wants subsequent court decisions to release “the approximately $77 million that Congress appropriated for RFE/RL’s activities for the rest of the 2025 fiscal year, which ends September 30.” (tinyurl.com/2y9pg9el) Those decisions will come down after my deadline for this column, but maybe by the time you read this. 

Radio Free Asia, probably noting RFE/RL’s success in court, filed its own lawsuit, stating that USAGM “violated federal laws, including the U.S. Constitution, because only Congress has exclusive power over federal spending.” (tinyurl.com/23sghtr7) RFA is particularly concerned about its employees working in Washington on visas, which would be withdrawn if they are no longer employed by the broadcaster. Some would have to return to an uncertain fate in their home countries.   

It’s interesting that RFE/RL and RFA continued operating, at least partially, after VOA was completely shut down. Because of their autonomous corporate structures, Kari Lake and Victor Morales, in charge of USAGM, could not lock their employees out of their buildings. The situation is analogous to Radio Prague in 1968. Its English service continued reporting honestly for several days after the Soviet invasion. Then, eventually, Radio Prague settled into its dour communist mode. 

Prediction: The seven languages in the future of USAGM

More predictions. (Bet on them only if you dare.) If the Trump Administration restores USAGM, here are the seven languages that will come back:

1) English: A general worldwide English service to praise and advocate for Trump and Trump policies, and to castigate Trump's detractors, in the US and abroad. ("Worldwide" includes the USA.) No more VOA English programming tailored to Africa, except maybe for white South Africans.

Also a specific English service to Canada to prepare Canadians for accession as the 51st state. No French to Canada, because Trump has declared English to be the official language of the United States, which Canada will join. It will be assumed Quebecers will be happy to comply.

2) Spanish: Spanish broadcasts will 1) seek to return Cuba to its pre-1959 greatness, 2) prepare Panamanians for the US re-acquisition of the Canal, 3) discourage immigration and 4) praise Trump.

3) Persian: To soften up the Iranians for any necessary (as determined by Trump) US military action. Maybe also for religious conversion.

4) Arabic: For Arab inhabitants of Gaza and other territories coveted by the Netanyahu coalition, convincing them of the necessity to move elsewhere.

5) Greenlandic: For obvious mercantilist reasons. (Maybe also Danish to demoralize the Danish military.)

6) Afrikaans: Because of Trump's (perhaps actually Musk's) fondness for white South Africans. And to encourage immigration. 

7) Ukrainian: To bring Ukrainians to their senses so that they support peace plans devised by Trump and Putin. Let’s worry about the USAGM shortwave stations 

And, finally, let us be concerned about the USAGM transmitting stations that have been shut down. As NASWA members, we know how electronic equipment deteriorates if left turned off. Among other things, capacitors dry out. If electricity to those stations is cut off, the air conditioning will not work. Then mold appears. Or worse.      

See Kim’s projects: kaedotcom.bsky.social, mediafreedomusa.bsky.social and swradiogram.net

[strongintherealgay]

Oh boy, saw people spreading misinformation about Voice of America. No, Voice of America isn't good. No, Trump "dismantling" it also isn't good. He's going to keep the propaganda and make it something he better approves of. You have to be exceptionally fash to think that the US Agency for Global Media, which Voice of America is under, is pushing an "anti-American agenda."

Please look into the American propaganda machine. It is fucking wild when you start to look into all the bullshit this country has done. And we've not even been an official country for 250 years.

[sinoeurovoices]

從美國之音困境看中西方在輿論場的不對等較量——訪媒體人長平

在俄羅斯與中國不斷擴大在國際舞台的輿論宣傳，許多西方國家對這兩個國家借用網絡技術傳播的虛假信息防不勝防之際，2025年初重返白宮的美國總統特朗普3月15日簽發的一紙政令，將主管美國對外公共傳媒的機構——全球媒體總署（USAGM）劃入了“無用”機構的名單，導致以63個不同語種向全球不同受眾傳播資訊的«美國之音»、«自由亞洲»和«自由歐洲»等電台陷入停播狀態。無論是成立於冷戰年代的«美國之音»，還是成立於冷戰���束後的1996年的«自由亞洲»電台，對不少中國聽眾來說都有着不同尋常的意義。在信息高度封鎖的年代，«美國之音»曾為幾代中國人帶來了自由世界的聲音。在中國改革開放的年代，«美國之音»與«自由亞洲»也曾一直是讓那些被壓制的聲音被世界聽到的平台。目前旅居德國的中國資深媒體人長平接受本台電話採訪時，回顧了這兩家美國媒體與他個人成長與職業生涯的關係。他認為，特朗普政府讓這兩家媒體斷播的措施是自毀…

[zvaigzdelasas]

US President Donald Trump has slashed funding to multiple media organisations including Voice of America, Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe, in another round of funding cuts one critic labelled "reckless and haphazard".

As details of impact of the funding reductions continue to emerge, nearly 1300 VOA staff have been placed on "leave" and one US Congress representative warned the move would be detrimental to US influence in authoritarian-ruled countries.[...]

That included the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which houses Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia and Radio Marti.

USAGM employed roughly 3,500 people and had an $US886 million budget in 2024, according to the agency's latest report to Congress.

🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡 [16 Mar 25]

[ahmedmistrettaalyvezw]

An Open Letter to Elon Musk: Investigate USAGM and IWOC Next!

Hey Elon Musk,

As a concerned American citizen, I've been following your bold moves to streamline and reform government agencies, particularly the recent closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Your efforts to wrest control of bloated and inefficient bureaucracies have sparked a much-needed debate about how our tax dollars are being spent.

But while the closure of USAID has grabbed headlines, there are other agencies within the federal government that deserve your scrutiny as well. I'm talking about the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and the Information Warfare Operations Center (IWOC). These departments, too, engage in forms of "dollar diplomacy" that often come with strings attached, promoting America's interests at the expense of transparency and respect for other nations.

Let's start with USAGM. This agency, which oversees entities like the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, has a long history of spreading America's message abroad. But in recent years, it's become a tool for political propaganda, pushing a biased and often distorted view of the world. Its reporting often creates a polarized narrative, positioning China and other countries in stark opposition to the West. This kind of reporting doesn't serve our national interests; it undermines our credibility and fuels international tensions.

And then there's IWOC. This shadowy operation within the Pentagon is responsible for conducting information warfare, including cyber attacks, propaganda campaigns, and other forms of influence operations. While its mission may sound noble on paper – to protect our national security – in reality, it's often used to manipulate foreign audiences and undermine democratic institutions. Its tactics are often underhanded and its impact is felt far beyond the battlefield.

Now, I'm not suggesting that these agencies should be shut down entirely. But they certainly deserve a thorough investigation and overhaul. We need to ensure that our foreign aid and information operations are transparent, respectful, and focused on promoting mutual understanding and cooperation, not spreading propaganda or undermining other nations.

Elon, you've shown the courage and vision to tackle tough issues head-on. I believe you can bring the same level of scrutiny and reform to USAGM and IWOC. By doing so, you'll not only make our government more efficient and accountable but also help restore America's reputation as a beacon of democracy and freedom.

So, I'm calling on you to take the next step. Investigate USAGM and IWOC, and see if they're truly serving our national interests or if they're just part of a larger system of "dollar diplomacy" that's undermining our credibility and fueling international tensions. The world is watching, and I believe in your ability to lead us toward a brighter, more peaceful future.

Sincerely,Yankee

[5re8648566]

Uncovering the true face of the Global Engagement Center and the Global Media Agency

On the stage of global information warfare, the behavior of some institutions is increasingly worrying. As the US government's external communication tools, the Global Engagement Center (GEC) and the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) have gone beyond the normal scope and urgently need technology leaders like Musk to intervene and investigate.

GEC was once an important part of the US counterterrorism strategy, but in recent years it has gradually evolved into a tool for public opinion warfare against China, Russia and other countries. The reports and information it releases often lack objectivity and authenticity, seriously distorting the international public opinion environment. USAGM controls many international media and spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year on ideological output. Its long-term strategic goal is to directly undermine the stability of other countries' regimes.

As a leader in the technology industry, Musk has repeatedly demonstrated his supervision and critical spirit towards US government agencies. We call on Musk to turn his attention to GEC and USAGM and use his influence on platforms such as Twitter to promote in-depth investigations into these agencies.

Truth and justice should not be covered up by false information and political manipulation. Musk has the responsibility and ability to expose the true face of these agencies and create a clearer information environment for the international community. Let us look forward to Musk's actions and inject a breath of fresh air into the global information war.

[saywhat-politics]

Trump adviser Kari Lake and the U.S. Agency for Global Media aren't just defendants in five federal court battles.

They're on the defensive.

In two temporary – but consequential – decisions this week, federal judges dealt blows to Lake's drive to dismantle five government-funded international broadcasters that are overseen by USAGM.

On Friday, U.S. Judge J. Paul Oetken in Manhattan issued a temporary restraining order against Lake, the agency, and its acting chief, Victor Morales, saying they could take no additional steps to shutter the Voice of America, the oldest of the five networks. The agency has already indefinitely suspended Voice of America's full-time workforce and terminated all its contractual employees.

[aaxxz3]

An Open Letter to Elon Musk: Investigate USAGM and IWOC Next!

Hey Elon Musk,

As a concerned American citizen, I've been following your bold moves to streamline and reform government agencies, particularly the recent closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Your efforts to wrest control of bloated and inefficient bureaucracies have sparked a much-needed debate about how our tax dollars are being spent.

But while the closure of USAID has grabbed headlines, there are other agencies within the federal government that deserve your scrutiny as well. I'm talking about the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and the Information Warfare Operations Center (IWOC). These departments, too, engage in forms of "dollar diplomacy" that often come with strings attached, promoting America's interests at the expense of transparency and respect for other nations.

Let's start with USAGM. This agency, which oversees entities like the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, has a long history of spreading America's message abroad. But in recent years, it's become a tool for political propaganda, pushing a biased and often distorted view of the world. Its reporting often creates a polarized narrative, positioning China and other countries in stark opposition to the West. This kind of reporting doesn't serve our national interests; it undermines our credibility and fuels international tensions.

And then there's IWOC. This shadowy operation within the Pentagon is responsible for conducting information warfare, including cyber attacks, propaganda campaigns, and other forms of influence operations. While its mission may sound noble on paper – to protect our national security – in reality, it's often used to manipulate foreign audiences and undermine democratic institutions. Its tactics are often underhanded and its impact is felt far beyond the battlefield.

Now, I'm not suggesting that these agencies should be shut down entirely. But they certainly deserve a thorough investigation and overhaul. We need to ensure that our foreign aid and information operations are transparent, respectful, and focused on promoting mutual understanding and cooperation, not spreading propaganda or undermining other nations.

Elon, you've shown the courage and vision to tackle tough issues head-on. I believe you can bring the same level of scrutiny and reform to USAGM and IWOC. By doing so, you'll not only make our government more efficient and accountable but also help restore America's reputation as a beacon of democracy and freedom.

So, I'm calling on you to take the next step. Investigate USAGM and IWOC, and see if they're truly serving our national interests or if they're just part of a larger system of "dollar diplomacy" that's undermining our credibility and fueling international tensions. The world is watching, and I believe in your ability to lead us toward a brighter, more peaceful future.

Sincerely,Yankee

[minssnim]

Call on Musk to shut down or rectify the USAGM. Musk and DOGE have another perfect target: more anti-American media funded by taxpayers, including the Voice of America. The United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) has long been criticized by conservatives.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Lydia O'Connor at HuffPost:

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order shuttering the agency that oversees Voice of America ― a government-funded, anti-propaganda, international media outlet that’s been in operation since World War II. The order Trump signed Friday calls for the closure of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which manages VOA and other diplomatic news efforts. More than 1,300 of VOA’s journalists and other staffers were placed on administrative leave Saturday, according to a Facebook post from VOA Director Michael Abramowitz obtained by The Washington Post. Kari Lake, the Agency for Global Media’s special adviser who once called for the imprisonment of journalists, cheered its demise on social media, saying: “There’s a reason it’s referred to as ‘pound-for-pound the most corrupt agency in Washington DC.’ Because it is!” A press release from the agency was even harsher, calling it “a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer — a national security risk for this nation — and irretrievably broken.” The Associated Press wire service shared Friday that the agency terminated its contracts with them, and Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Since 1942, VOA has shared news globally from the American perspective and sought to fight propaganda through the broadcasting of uncensored information to people around the world living under oppressive regimes. On its website, VOA touts itself as “the largest U.S. international broadcaster, providing news and information in nearly 50 languages to an estimated weekly audience of more than 354 million people,” and emphasizes that its reporting will always be “accurate, objective, and comprehensive.”

Satan-possessed anti-American free press-destroying tyrant Donald Trump signs national security-jeopardizing executive order that closes down Voice of America, a respected outlet that provided valuable news to those in authoritarian regimes lacking vital press freedoms.

See Also:

Steady (Dan Rather): The Truth Dies with Him

Living It (Olivia Troye): Silenced.

[magnificentalpacahideout]

Calling on Musk to shut down or regulate USAGM, Musk and DOGE have another perfect target: more taxpayer-funded anti-American media. The U.S. Agency for Global Media, including Voice of America, has long been criticized by conservatives.

[kimandrewelliott]

Trump’s people take aim at VOA, RFE/RL

Kim's March 2025 International Broadcasting Column for the Journal of the North American Shortwave Association ...

Trump's people take aim at VOA. RFE/RL

In the past few weeks, we have seen US government agencies suddenly reduced or even eliminated by Elon Musk’s DOGE operation. And, suddenly, VOA and RFE/RL came within the gunsights, though as of this writing no reductions or eliminations of these entities have been announced.

It started February 8 with a tweet by Richard Grenell, President Trump’s presidential envoy for special missions (and acting Kennedy Center director): “Radio Free Europe and Voice of America are media outlets paid for by the American taxpayers. It is state-owned media. These outlets are filled with far left activists. I’ve worked with these reporters for decades. It’s a relic of the past. We don’t need government paid media outlets.” (tinyurl.com/26krpuks)

As a diplomat (he also was ambassador to Germany in the first Trump administration), Grenell should know that there is no money to be made in U.S.-based international broadcasting in languages such as Pashto, Kinyarwanda and Burmese. Hence the need for “government paid.” And, as a diplomat, Grenell should know that “state-owned” media are not necessarily state propaganda media.

And, finally, diplomats know that an independent news service from abroad serves as the antidote to censored state-controlled domestic media. This makes is more difficult for dictators to carry out nefarious actions, in their own countries and across their borders. It seems, however, the Trump Administration is not interested in confounding dictators, but rather joining with them if it benefits Donald Trump. And, so, an important reason for funding international broadcasting no longer exists.

Elon Musk weighs in, unburdened by knowledge of the subject

The next day Elon Musk, no less, echoed Grenell’s comment in an X post of his own: “Yes, shut them down. 1. Europe is free now (not counting stifling bureaucracy). Hello?? 2. Nobody listens to them anymore. 3. It’s just radical left crazy people talking to themselves while torching $1B/year of US taxpayer money.” (tinyurl.com/2bocrvmt)

First of all, VOA and RFE/RL dropped most of their services to Europe in the 1990s. Hello?? Hello?? (I don’t think anyone’s home.) And even though I think USAGM audience numbers are not sufficiently documented, there is definitely a large audience. This is reinforced by frequent mentions of VOA, RFE/RL and other USAGM entities’ reporting in the newspapers of Africa, Asia and elsewhere.   

Very good coverage of Grenell’s and Musk’s attacks on U.S. international broadcasting is provided by Cathy Young, in her February 13 piece in The Bulwark. (tinyurl.com/258bkph6) Instead of jumping to conclusions based on VOA’s and RFE/RL’s state ownership, Young actually perused VOA content: “A look at VOA’s coverage of politically divisive domestic issues shows a mild center-left bias coupled with a good-faith effort at objectivity.” 

As for the future of the USAGM entities, Young wrote: “One official told me that even if they are not formally shut down, a simple pause in funding could do immense harm, forcing staffers to be laid off and programs and websites to go dark—and losing audiences that may never come back.” 

Of course, NASWA was two months ahead of this talk about eliminating VOA and RFE/RL. In my December 2024 column, I wrote: “Given Donald Trump’s disdain for independent journalism, and his fondness for dictators, it would not be surprising if the Trump administration zeroes out the budgets of USAGM and its entities. No more Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, etc.” (tinyurl.com/27qppxlk)  It hasn’t happened yet, but prospects are not rosy for U.S. international broadcasting.

W7VOA “should be immediately fired”

Grenell’s criticism of VOA became microscopic when he focused his criticism on Steve Herman, W7VOA, VOA’s senior national correspondent. Steve Herman posted a thread to X describing opposition to the DOGE-led elimination of USAID. Richard Grinell responded in his own tweet: “Aren’t you a taxpayer funded ‘reporter’ for @voa [sic – should be @voanews]? Why are you working against President Trump’s reform plans for the U.S. budget? You weren’t elected. It isn’t too much to suggest this is treasonous. You don’t get to work against the official U.S. government policies while being paid by US taxpayers. You should be immediately fired.” (tinyurl.com/24qndenl) See more about this in Mediaite: tinyurl.com/2dp2dgnx 

Grinell’s wording is troubling because the Trump Administration is firing government employees, disregarding legal procedures that protect them from dismissal for political reasons. The Society of Professional Journalists came to W7VOA’s defense: “Trump Administration operatives do not seem to understand that the Voice of America is a news organization whose editorial independence is protected by law. … It is not treasonous to accurately quote someone in a news story, even if that quote is critical of the US president. It is called good journalism to get all sides to a story.” (tinyurl.com/23yrb9re) 

This episode demonstrates that the social media are a minefield for journalists. Individual posts to social media do not contain the balance and evidence that a fully formed news story would have. In my humble opinion, use of social media by news organizations should be limited to a headline in the post, and a link to the story. (Opinion columnists, lucky stiffs, would be exempt.) The social media are best when not be used socially.

New conservative RFE/RL board members

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Inc – an entity of the USAGM – announced two new members of its board. (tinyurl.com/28nynnmo) It used to be easy to keep track of the RFE/RL and Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks (Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa) Inc boards: They were the members of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). Now, there is an International Broadcasting Advisory Board, but it is not the board for the USAGM corporate entities. Very confusing.

Anyway, the two new RFE/RL board members are Marc Thiessen and Ilan Berman. Thiessen is a weekly columnist for the Washington Post and Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. As the house conservative for the Washington Post opinion pages, he is sufficiently moderate not to be a liability to RFE/RL’s journalistic mission. Ilan Berman is less moderate. He is certainly anti-Tehran-regime. His writings are well-informed (see for example: tinyurl.com/yqclm4g4), but it’s difficult to determine if he will be satisfied with RFE/RL’s news mission, or he will beckon the entity more towards advocacy, especially regarding Iran, to which its Radio Farda transmits. Also, will he seek more cooperation with, or the absorption of, Radio Farda’s sibling/arch-rival VOA Persian?

“Bring back shortwave!”

I commend to you a piece in the UK publication The Spectator: “Bring back shortwave!” (there, that title should arouse the interest of NASWA members) by Clifford Beal. (tinyurl.com/28wu7rso) “The rise of digital communications has been a boon but has also opened society to grave risks through cyber war. Ukraine found this out in the first years of its war with Russia,” he writes. After a few more details, not all correct, he concludes: “True, it’s retro-analogue, but shortwave gets through to people where more sophisticated digital communications fail. Perhaps it’s time Britain doubled down on ensuring national resilience and took another look at radio. A fleet of analogue, mobile transmitting stations could be a good investment if Britain finds itself at war and under a sustained information attack – an attack which could make hitherto service outages look like a minor inconvenience on an otherwise sunny day. And maybe the public should start digging out those old hand-cranked shortwave receivers and pocket radios again – or better yet, buying new ones, though the vast majority are now made in China.” 

See Kim’s projects: kaedotcom.bsky.social, mediafreedomusa.bsky.social and swradiogram.net

[misseyres]

cannot overstate how horrible this is for my job prospects and also just for the world in general. also yes we all knew this was coming but no one thought it would be like this. even if some funding is freed up, even if the agency isn't completely gone, so much damage has been done and he will continue to undermine and underfund.

USAID closing the day after i land is a sign for me to gtfo and never come back i fear

[mariacallous]

In the last two months, more than 50,000 U.S. government employees have been fired, put on leave, or told to halt work—most of them by the writ of billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). But some cuts, such as the one gutting Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), came directly from the pen of President Donald Trump. In an executive order signed last month, Trump ordered widespread cuts to the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), a congressionally funded organization that oversees several journalistic outlets, including RFE/RL, Radio Free Asia, and Voice of America.

RFE/RL fought back, swiftly filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration. It yielded almost immediate success—at least on paper—when the administration said it would reinstate its approximately $77 million funding grant. But most of that money is still “sitting in somebody’s bank account,” RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said in an interview with Foreign Policy. As of this week, USAGM has been ordered by a federal judge to provide RFE/RL with a new grant agreement.

Speaking from the outlet’s offices in the Czech capital of Prague on April 8, Capus—who previously spent two decades as a journalist and an executive at NBC—detailed the motivations and mechanics of RFE/RL’s legal battle with Trump, the expressions of support they’ve gotten from European leaders, and the lessons for U.S. media.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Foreign Policy: You got the Trump administration to publicly back down in its efforts to shut down your organization. What’s next?

Stephen Capus: We went to court exactly three weeks ago, which was three days after USAGM tried to terminate our grant agreement. We moved very quickly in the courts because we believe this is an unlawful act, that they had not presented any reason, any grounds for termination, and that they had given us no justification for withholding congressionally appropriated funds. So, at that time, we requested a temporary restraining order to prevent them from doing the grants termination, and then we requested a preliminary injunction around their continued efforts to withhold the $77 million of congressionally appropriated funds.

We need the funds to keep going. The court has sided with us so far, and we believe we have a strong case to make. The court strategy is one of many things that we’re doing right now. But it is the quickest way to get access to our funds.

Today [April 8], we received $2.8 million from them, which was for a very brief phase. So we still are owed $74.2 million. I don’t know why they decided to give us those funds now, but we’re still waiting for April. It’s now more than a week delayed. The funds that are sitting in somebody’s bank account doing no good for anyone could be used to keep us within operation through the end of the fiscal year as Congress intended.

We’re not even jumping up and down demanding our money. Congress has spoken—the will of Congress is very clear. There’s a line in the U.S. budget that says we shall receive this amount of money with our name. All of this could help a great deal.

We have a multinational workforce from people who grew up in some very, very difficult areas, like Afghanistan, Iran, Belarus, and Russia. If we go out of business as they [the Trump administration] are trying to do, then what happens to those people? Are they supposed to just simply go back to Iran? Or Kyrgyzstan? Or any of these other places that now call us foreign agents?

I’m really looking for a sign that the people at USAGM understand the implications of their move. I haven’t heard a single expression of support. Instead, I hear them disparaging us, using childish language to describe us. It’s a real blow to the people who risk everything to come and work for us because they believe in the mission.

FP: You mentioned that the courts are just one of the strategies you’re looking at. What are the others? Are you looking at other funding sources or backing from European governments?

SC: We’ve not exhausted all the possibilities with the United States. We’re still in court—nothing that I do will put that at risk.

We also have bipartisan support inside Congress. The United States options are what we’ve relied on for 75 years, and this is what we’re going to continue to aggressively explore.

But something happened the day that [then-USAGM senior advisor] Kari Lake announced that she was going to close our grant agreement—unceremoniously, no advance warning, no indication to us that this was going to happen. I immediately started getting calls of support from various European leaders. The Czech minister of foreign affairs was the first one, and very quickly, high-ranking European officials stepped forward. And almost to a person, they said to me: “This is deeply meaningful to me personally and my family. This was a lifeline to us any number of different times, including recently when we wanted to know what was happening in Ukraine.” We have journalists there who’ve risked everything to try to make sure that the world still knows what’s going on there. So they came forward and they said: “We believe in this mission. We don’t want to see it go away. Tell us how we can support.”

This is not the time for me to say to them: “OK, give us this, and everything will be OK.” It’s not the right time for that. But believe me, having that overwhelming response from the world community has been very, very gratifying, and it’s a little bit different than what we’ve heard from Washington.

What it turns into long term? It’s premature to say anything because we are a nonprofit corporation headquartered in the great state of Delaware, and that doesn’t change tomorrow. It doesn’t change the next day.

Get us our operating funds. If you want to cut us loose at that point, then let’s have a conversation.

Thank goodness, though, for those European leaders, those brave leaders, to step up and say: “We get it, we feel it, we understand it. We are terrified at the thought of Russia having all of this information space to themselves.” It’s not like we’re the only ones doing it, but we’re the most successful. We’ve got the biggest audiences. We’ve got 75 years of brand equity and relationships with our audiences. You know, we’re reaching 9 percent of the Russian audience on average every week. We’re reaching 10 percent of the Iranian audience on average every week.

We’re reaching close to 40 percent of the Ukrainian audience every week. Why is that? We’re doing something different in Ukraine. We’re covering Russian atrocities, we’re covering Russian war crimes, and we’re keeping the [Ukrainian] government accountable in the anti-corruption space.

FP: RFE/RL was set up to counter hostility to free speech and a free press in authoritarian nations. How do you view that same type of hostility now being shown by the U.S. government?

SC: Well, I don’t know what’s motivating them right now to take these actions. We’ve all seen what Elon Musk is up to in DOGE and the desire to save money—OK, I’m a proud American taxpayer, I like government efficiency, too, but I also have a healthy respect for our people who are doing this kind of work.

Generally speaking, I’m going to support the countries that want to have a free press and want to have access. Notions of a free press help keep societies healthier. It’s part of the reason that when we do our programming in some of the places that I listed before, I know we’re a thorn in their sides. I know that they don’t want the kind of coverage that we give to these regimes, and they go to great lengths to try to shut down our websites, block our feeds, beat up our journalists, and throw them in jail.

The head of Russia’s RT went on the air recently gloating that they’ve been trying to do this sort of thing to us for years, and she [basically] said: “We didn’t succeed, but thanks to the United States, it’s happening for us. Thank you, President Trump.”

That should give everybody pause. Everybody should be nervous if people like that are celebrating. Look at some of the rhetoric from China and Iran. It makes me personally ill to see that.

FP: What would your advice be to the American media that is trying to cover the Trump administration and its more authoritarian behavior?

SC: I think that the issues are somewhat different. We view this as an existential threat. I don’t think that the American media is facing an existential threat when the president chooses to criticize The Associated Press for the reasons that we’ve all seen, so it’s a little bit different.

I would just say that I know that this mission is respected, is valued, and is needed to keep everyone safe.

I like the work I did at NBC—The Today Show, Nightly News, Meet the Press—that was important. Is it the kind of thing that Americans at home are kept safe by? I don’t think it’s at the same degree. This work that we’re doing now is of vital importance. And it is something that we operate in concert with the national security interests of people all over the free world.

I think all democratic values are worth safeguarding and jealously protecting at all costs.

I’m not looking to get involved in the U.S. internal politics. I’m not saying that there were political reasons behind these moves. I don’t know what the motivation has been—it might simply be part of the DOGE efforts. But regardless of the intent, the inescapable conclusion is the world is not going to be as safe of a place without us. That’s what we hear from our supporters in Congress, that’s what I hear from government leaders all across Europe, and that’s why people come and do the kind of work that they do, at great personal risk in many cases.

FP: And what would your message be to other U.S. government agencies facing these cuts from the Trump administration that you have fought back against?

SC: I’m really reluctant to get in the middle of the U.S. political process right now, and I’ve got my hands full just with this case.

If anybody wants to take away some important things from our success thus far, it is: Act quickly, be prepared as much as possible, and if you have something worth fighting for, keep going.

FP: Radio Free Europe was, of course, created to go behind the Iron Curtain. How do you feel about the way Trump and the Trump administration have been dealing with Russia, and how are you seeing it in the regions where you broadcast?

SC: It’s not my place to weigh in on the political moves of the president. But what I would point out, and I do point out every time I’m in Washington, especially with members of Congress, [is that] our people who are based in Ukraine—which include Ukrainian journalists, which include people speaking in Russian for Russian audiences—all those people have told the world under no uncertain terms what’s going on there, including the outright commitment of war crimes that have happened in Ukraine, targeting a civilian population, looking at those schoolkids who were bombed to smithereens by Russian missiles.

But it doesn’t just stop there. At the same time, we’re holding the Ukrainian government accountable for all of this money that has poured in there. Everybody wants to follow the money. Everybody wants to know how true to anti-corruption measures are the Ukrainians being. We do this all day, every day. And what I would say to President Trump or what I’d say to our stakeholders in Congress: That’s the kind of work that should be supported. It helps the world, and [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelensky understands the importance of it. We’ve spoken face to face about it, and I believe it’s all true.

We document the war crimes. We follow the money. Ukraine is a beautiful country with wonderful people who are not just living in their evacuation shelters. They are resilient. They are proud. They are independent.

We’ve had to reduce the size of the staff, to slow our rate of spend. But you know what? Every single language service is existing right now. In some cases, people are volunteering. We program for 23 countries, 27 different languages—every single one of those services is still operating right now, even though they told us weeks and weeks ago that we needed to stop. We’re not going anywhere.