Voice of America under fire: Musk and Trump slash the budget !

The US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America (VOA) and other federally funded media outlets, is facing a major shake-up. VOA, which broadcasts news in 49 languages worldwide, reaches a weekly audience of over 361 million people.

This restructuring also affects other media under USAGM’s umbrella, such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia, all of which rely on federal funding. According to The New York Times, USAGM operates on a $270 million annual budget and employs over 2,000 staff members.

Since Donald Trump took office, and with the growing influence of billionaire Elon Musk through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), there has been a significant push to cut personnel and federal programs. The stated goal is to save billions of taxpayer dollars by reducing government involvement in various sectors, including publicly funded media.

This drastic overhaul raises concerns about the future of these news organizations, their independence, and their ability to continue delivering global news at a time when information warfare is more intense than ever.