Trump administration moves to fire most Voice of America journalists
The Trump administration is moving to fire most journalists at the Voice of America (VOA), one of the most prominent publicly-funded news organizations in the United States. The Department of Justice has proposed eliminating nearly half of VOA's employees, which amounts to 162 staff members, and cutting funding for fluency programs. The proposal also includes the merger of the VOA broadcast to Europe with the surrogate news service, which was recently created to counter "anti-Russia hysteria" in the US media. The move comes shortly after the FBI arrested a journalist accused of making false statements to the agency and disclosing national security information.
Reactions and analysis
"The proposal has sent shock waves through VOA's halls, igniting fears of a slowdown in coverage and grim prospects for staff members," reports Politico, which adds that the "drastic measures... have been met with fierce resistance from lawmakers and advocates of a robust and independent VOA."
The president of the union that represents VOA workers said the "punitive cuts" were "an attack on the First Amendment and on the citizens of United States".
Background
The Voice of America is a United States government-funded international radio broadcaster whose programs are distributed across the globe. It is primarily funded by the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which is currently headed by Michael Pack, a former Reagan administration official who was appointed by President Trump. Pack has been criticized for his alleged politicization of the USAGM and for appointing editorial advisors to USAGM networks who have openly criticized press freedom.
