Voice of America Staff Placed on Leave Following Trump’s Order to Dissolve Broadcaster

Impact of Trump Administration on Voice of America

Voice of America, a government-funded broadcasting service established during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda, faced a significant blow as President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday. This order led to the effective shutdown of VOA's parent organization, the US Agency for Global Media.

Staff Placed on Administrative Leave

Michael Abramowitz, the director of VOA, revealed that nearly the entire staff of over 1,300 journalists, producers, and support personnel were placed on administrative leave following the executive order. Abramowitz himself was included in this directive, as he mentioned in a social media post on Saturday.

Trump Administration's Stance

A spokesperson for VOA was not immediately available for comment, but the Trump administration confirmed the dissolution of VOA through a statement on Saturday. The statement highlighted the executive order as a means to stop taxpayers from funding what was described as "radical propaganda."

Impact on Other Government Entities

Trump's order targeted various government entities that were not mandated by statute, including the US Agency for Global Media. This agency also supports Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia, among other networks. Additional agencies named in the order were the US Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Minority Business Development Agency, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Continued Effort to Reduce Federal Government Size

The White House justified the move as part of the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to streamline the federal government. Criticism was directed at VOA's editorial decisions over the past few years, with references made to alleged biases and operational practices.

Historical Significance of Voice of America

Established in 1942, Voice of America has evolved into an international broadcasting network reaching over 354 million individuals weekly in nearly 50 languages. The impact of VOA's programming and reporting has been significant on a global scale.

Response from VOA Correspondent

Carla Babb, a Pentagon correspondent for VOA, expressed her situation of being placed on indefinite administrative leave. She highlighted the importance of VOA's role in shedding light on misinformation and expressed hope that the situation would be temporary.

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By: lloydlee@insider.com (Lloyd Lee)
Title: Voice of America Staff Placed on Leave Following Trump’s Order to Dissolve Broadcaster
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/voice-of-america-aministrative-leave-2025-3
Published Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2025 03:31:26 +0000