President Donald Trump took a decisive step in overhauling the Voice of America (VOA) with a new executive order, slashing its operations and putting nearly all its employees on leave. The move, which aims to eliminate government-funded propaganda-fueled media outlets, is part of Trump’s broader effort to reign in biased media.
“President Trump is delivering on his promise to make our government more efficient," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told USA TODAY on Saturday. "American taxpayers should not be funding anti-American propaganda in the name of journalism.”
Before the weekend, Trump signed an executive order, “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” aimed at several government agencies, including the United States Agency for Global Media, the parent organization of Voice of America. He called the move “necessity.” Employees received an email informing them they were being placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until notified otherwise.
The White House stated that the executive order "will protect taxpayers from funding radical propaganda," highlighting criticisms of Voice of America.
“The non-statutory components and functions of the following governmental entities shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, and such entities shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law," the order states.
The Agency for Global Media staff have been instructed to return their identification badges, press passes, and all government-issued property. Those placed on leave are also barred from accessing Agency buildings or systems. In a LinkedIn post, Voice of America Director Michael Abramowitz shared that nearly his team of 1,300 journalists, producers, and assistants, including himself, had been put on administrative leave.
On Saturday, Kari Lake, a senior advisor at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, urged employees to check their emails, declaring that the agency was "beyond salvage."
“The President has issued an Executive Order titled Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy. It affects USAGM and its outlets VOA and OCB. If you are an employee of the agency, please check your email immediately for more information,” Lake wrote on X.