America’s voice, silenced – The Washington Post – March 17, 2025

Opinion

Editorial Board
America’s voice, silenced
Trump is dismantling programs that push back against dictatorship and reach people in closed societies.
March 17, 2025 at 1:56 p.m. EDT, Yesterday at 1:56 p.m. EDT 4 min

President Donald Trump has taken a wrecking ball to some of the most effective overseas programs run by the United States to reach people in closed societies and push back against dictators. Some of these programs have been at the front lines in the fight for democracy for three-quarters of a century. They must be saved from destruction.

In the first weeks of his presidency, Trump and Elon Musk slashed democracy and humanitarian programs at the U.S. Agency for International Development. Then, administration officials attempted to close the spigot of funding to the National Endowment for Democracy, a nonprofit organization that receives federal grants to support human rights abroad. The endowment went to court, arguing the funds had been expressly designated by Congress. Faced with the lawsuit, the administration restored the money.

These preliminary moves were followed on Friday by a devastating new wave of shutdown demands. Trump ordered the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for Global Media and terminated funding for organizations it oversees: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Voice of America, Middle East Broadcasting Networks and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which runs Radio and Television Martí. All employees of the VOA, Middle East and Cuba operations were put on immediate administrative leave. Also affected is the Open Technology Fund, which has, among other things, helped outlets circumvent blocks by authoritarian regimes.

Read more: America’s voice, silenced – The Washington Post – March 17, 2025Source Links: Opinion | Trump shutdown of VOA, U.S. Agency for Global Media helps dictators – The Washington Post