US President Donald Trump has signed an order to postpone the press organization funded by the federal government, Voice of America, accusing it of being “anti-Trump” and “Radical”.
A press release from the White House said that the order “would make sure that taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda” and included quotes from politicians and right -wing media balustrades against the “left”, “supporter” VOA.
VOA, still mainly a radio service, was created during the Second World War to counter Nazi propaganda. It is used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
Mike Abramowitz, director of VOA, said that he and almost all of his staff of 1,300 people had been put on paid leave.
Abramowitz said that the order had left Voa unable to carry out its “vital mission … particularly critical today, when American opponents, such as Iran, China and Russia, cover billions of dollars to create false stories to discredit the United States”.
The order of the president targets the parent company of Voa Us Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which also finances non -profit entities such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, which were initially created to counter communism.
He tells managers to “reduce performance … to the minimum presence and function required by law”.
CBS, the BBC news partner, said VOA employees had been informed in an e-mail in Crystal Thomas, the USAGM Human Resources Director.
One source told CBS that all self -employed workers and international entrepreneurs have been informed that there was no more money to pay them.
The emails obtained by CBS informed the bosses of Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty that their federal subsidies had been dismissed.
The National Press Club, a leading representative group for American journalists, said that the order “undermines America’s long -standing commitment to a free and independent press”.
He added: “If an entire editorial room can be dismissed overnight, what is it said of the state of press freedom?
“An entire institution is dismantled piece by piece. It is not only a decision to endow it – it is a fundamental change that endangers the future of independent journalism in VOA.”
VOA and other USAGM stations serve more than 400,000,000 listeners and are largely equivalent to the Global BBC service, which is partially funded by the British government.
The Czech Foreign Minister intends to push the European Union to support the maintenance of the release of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty in Prague. Jan Lipavský said he was planning to ask European foreign ministers at a meeting on Monday to find ways to maintain the broadcaster operations at least partially.
Elon Musk, the billionaire and the best advisor to Trump who supervised scanning cuts to the US government, used his X social media platform to call VOA to close.
The American president has also reduced the financing of several other federal agencies – notably those responsible for the prevention of homeless and financing of museums and libraries.
Trump was very critical of VOA during his first mandate. He recently named the faithful loyalist Kari Lake to be a special advisor to USAGM.
The president regularly declares that the consumer media are biased against him. He called CNN and MSNBC “corrupt” and “illegal”, without providing evidence, during a speech to the Ministry of Justice.
Voice of America launched in 1942 with a mandate to combat Nazi and Japanese propaganda. His first program – produced on a transmitter loaned to the United States by the BBC – said a modest objective.
Gerald Ford, a former president, signed the VOA public charter in 1976 to protect his editorial independence.
In 1994, the Broadcast Board of Governors, with surveillance on non -military broadcasting, was created.
In 2013, a change in legislation allowed VOA and affiliates to start dissemination in the United States.
