Trump Administration Reduces Size of U.S. Agency for Global Media, Employees Placed on Leave
A significant shift in the landscape of international news broadcasting has unfolded this week, with several employees of the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) placed on administrative leave. This action follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Friday, which outlined plans to reduce the size of seven federal agencies, including the USAGM, the entity responsible for overseeing Voice of America (VOA) and other international broadcasting networks.
The executive order cites the rationale for these reductions as stemming from Trump’s perception that the targeted agencies are "unnecessary." While the specific details of the planned reductions remain somewhat unclear, the immediate impact has been felt by USAGM employees, who received an email from the agency’s human resources director informing them of their placement on administrative leave.
According to the email, which was obtained by Reuters and the New York Times, the administrative leave is being implemented with full pay and benefits, and is not related to any disciplinary action. However, employees were instructed to turn in their identification badges, press passes, and all official government property. They are also prohibited from entering USAGM buildings or accessing the agency’s systems. Despite being placed on leave, employees are required to remain available during normal business hours in case agency officials need to contact them. Should a return to work be requested, employees will have one business day to comply.
Kari Lake, the senior advisor for the USAGM, appointed to the role by Trump in December, acknowledged the executive order in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday morning, directing employees to check their emails for further information. Lake did not provide any additional commentary on the matter.
The number of employees affected by this administrative leave remains undisclosed by the federal agency. Requests for comment from both the Trump administration and USAGM Human Resources Director Crystal Thomas have gone unanswered.
Adding another layer to the situation, questions have arisen regarding the potential influence of Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency on Trump’s decision to reduce the USAGM’s size. Musk has publicly expressed his disapproval of the agency on X, alleging that it has been funding media organizations to promote "left-wing" propaganda.
The USAGM plays a crucial role in international news broadcasting, overseeing a network of non-military broadcasting entities that includes Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Radio Free Asia, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, and the Open Technology Fund. Funded by Congress, the agency delivers news in 64 languages to a vast audience of over 427 million people worldwide, according to its website.
The origins of the USAGM can be traced back to 1994, when President Bill Clinton established the Broadcasting Board of Governors to oversee all of the country’s international, non-military broadcasting operations, including Voice of America, which was founded in the 1940s. In 2018, the Broadcasting Board of Governors was renamed to the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
Voice of America, the largest U.S. international broadcaster, provides news in 50 languages to over 354 million people. It produces content for digital, television, and radio platforms.
VOA’s history dates back to 1941 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the U.S. Foreign Information Service. This initiative was launched after several other countries had already established their own international news broadcasters. The Netherlands was the first nation to implement international radio news broadcasts, beginning in 1927.
Despite being government-funded, VOA operates under a "firewall" established by the 1994 U.S. International Broadcasting Act. This firewall is intended to protect the agency’s "objective, independent" reporting by preventing government officials from interfering with its editorial decisions. The website states that the firewall ensures that VOA has the final say on what stories to cover and how they are covered.
In addition to the USAGM, Trump’s executive order also targets the reduction of the following six federal agencies:
The future impact of these agency reductions remains to be seen. It raises questions about the role of government-funded media in shaping global narratives and the potential implications for the dissemination of information worldwide.
