President Donald Trump's recent mandate has stirred significant debate in media and political circles.
According to Fox News, the executive order issued by Trump targets several federal agencies, including the Voice of America, for exhibiting biased reporting and operational failures.
On Friday, Trump signed an executive order leading to the immediate dismantling of the United States Agency for Global Media, which oversees operations for VOA and other media entities. Trump's decision comes amid longstanding accusations of the agency pushing biased content and mismanaging resources. The order mandates the removal or reduction of agency functions to the bare minimum required by law.
Kari Lake, the incoming chief at VOA, has communicated significant operational changes through internal emails. Following the order, on Saturday, employees of the affected agencies were notified via email about the termination of their employment.
This sweeping move has been justified by descriptions of the agency as a "national security risk" and beyond repair in statements from the U.S. Agency for Global Media, led by Lake.
The executive order titled “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy” encompasses the closure of several other federal entities as well, notably including the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and the Minority Business Development Agency, among others.
The order pinpoints prior incidents where VOA was criticized for biased reporting, notably a softened portrayal of Hamas's activities. The criticisms echo concerns from figures like Elon Musk and extend to other high-profile critics who argue that these media outlets support anti-American narratives.
This narrative aligns with a sentiment expressed by a senior White House official who recognized VOA as being "out of step with America," criticizing its long-standing delivery of what they termed, "divisive propaganda."
Here is a quote by Kari Lake, shedding light on the severity of the issues at the U.S. Agency for Global Media:
The President has issued an Executive Order titled Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy. It directly impacts USAGM and its subsidiaries like VOA and OCB. This agency, from top-to-bottom, represents tremendous wastage of the American taxpayer’s money — considered a national security risk — and is irredeemably flawed. Bright, dedicated personnel do exist, but they are exceptions.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., further reinforced the concern over biased reporting following a horrific incident covered by VOA. Specifically, Mast accused the media of portraying violent acts by Hamas in a sympathetic light and insisted that the U.S. must not fund outlets that support terrorism.
In addition, a former employee of VOA has expressed disillusionment with the agency, criticizing it as a "hubris-filled rogue operation," thereby echoing broader complaints about its deviation from journalistic integrity and standard-bye mismanagement.
As a result, supporters view the changes as a necessary step to align federally funded media closer to unbiased reporting and efficient management. Meanwhile, critics argue this could pose threats to press freedom under government oversight.
Ultimately, the order, which is already stirring a mix of accolade and alarm, may have long-lasting impacts on public media and discourse in the United States. Moreover, this marks another step in what Trump claims is his campaign to streamline government functions and reduce expenditures that he views as wasteful or biased.
