Washington, MINA – U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly dismissed journalists from Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S.-funded media outlets on Saturday.
Hundreds of staff members from VOA, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe, and other media organizations received emails over the weekend stating they were barred from entering their offices and had to surrender their press credentials and equipment, The New Arab reported.
On Friday, Trump issued an executive order listing the U.S. Agency for Global Media as a “redundant federal bureaucracy” deemed unnecessary by the President.
White House Press Secretary Harrison Fields took a more sarcastic approach, posting “goodbye” in 20 languages on X, mocking the multilingual news services of these media organizations.
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VOA Director Michael Abramowitz, who was among the 1,300 employees dismissed, warned that the decision would severely impact the agency’s ability to fulfill its mission.
“VOA has been an invaluable asset to the United States, playing a crucial role in the fight against communism, fascism, and oppression, and in the global struggle for freedom and democracy,” Abramowitz stated on Facebook.
VOA broadcasts in 48 languages, reaching 360 million people worldwide each week.
Meanwhile, the head of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which was originally created to broadcast into the Soviet bloc during the Cold War, called the funding cut a “major gift to America’s enemies.”
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The press freedom advocacy group Reporters Without Borders condemned Trump’s move, warning that it “threatens global press freedom and undermines 80 years of U.S. leadership in supporting free information flow.”
Senior Democratic lawmakers, Gregory Meeks and Lois Frankel, issued a joint statement saying Trump’s decision would “cause lasting damage to U.S. efforts to counter propaganda worldwide.”
Congress, rather than the President, holds constitutional power over financial allocations, meaning this drastic action could face legal challenges. Radio Free Asia, in particular, has enjoyed bipartisan support in the past.
A VOA employee described the situation as “a perfect example of chaos and unpreparedness” while constantly checking for updates on X.
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A Radio Free Asia staff member voiced deeper concerns:
“This isn’t just about losing income. We have journalists and contractors who fear for their safety. Some reporters work under the radar in authoritarian regimes across Asia. Others in the U.S. risk deportation if their work visas become invalid.”
“To erase us with the stroke of a pen is horrifying,” the journalist added. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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