State Department Watchdog Says VOA Cuts Hurt U.S. Interests After 1,400 Jobs Slashed
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 30
State Department Watchdog Says VOA Cuts Hurt U.S. Interests After 1,400 Jobs Slashed
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 30
Summary
A new State Department inspector general report said the Trump administration’s effort to nearly shut Voice of America weakened U.S. national interests by reducing its ability to counter foreign disinformation with independent journalism.
The report also challenged the claimed cost savings from the cuts, saying the reduction in operations undercut USAGM’s statutory mission to support freedom and democracy worldwide.
Kari Lake, tapped by Trump to lead VOA’s parent agency, moved to fire nearly all 1,400 VOA employees, cancel contracts and terminate grants soon after taking office.
Federal courts largely blocked the shutdown; a judge in March voided Lake’s interim appointment and nullified most of her actions, but only a handful of VOA journalists have returned as litigation continues.
The findings echo warnings from critics and some Republicans that shrinking VOA gives adversaries such as China and Russia—both spending billions on state-backed messaging—more room to spread propaganda.