The US Agency for Global Media building in Washington, home to Voice of America's main office. (Reuters: Sarah Silbige)
US President Donald Trump has slashed funding to multiple media organisations including Voice of America, Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe, in another round of funding cuts one critic labelled "reckless and haphazard".
As details of impact of the funding reductions continue to emerge, nearly 1300 VOA staff have been placed on "leave" and one US Congress representative warned the move would be detrimental to US influence in authoritarian-ruled countries.
The cuts came after Congress passed its latest funding bill on Friday night US-time, and President Trump directed his administration to reduce the function of several government agencies to the minimum required by law.
That included the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which houses Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia and Radio Marti.
USAGM employed roughly 3,500 people and had an $US886 million budget in 2024, according to the agency's latest report to Congress.
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Radio Free Asia has previously broadcast into places with restricted media freedom, like Hong Kong. (Reuters: Tyrone Siu)
These media organisations were largely funded to extend and promote US influence and combat authoritarianism in countries with limited or no free press.
Voice of America was founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda and now reaches 350 million people weekly with domestic news translated in nearly 50 languages.
"For the first time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced," said VOA director Michael Abramowitz, adding nearly his entire staff of 1,300 journalists, producers and assistants had been put on administrative leave.
Radio Free Europe, set up in 1950, broadcasts to countries in eastern Europe, including Russia and Ukraine.
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The organisation's chief executive Stephen Capus confirmed USAGM had terminated its funding.
"The cancellation of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's grant agreement would be a massive gift to America's enemies," he said.
Radio Marti transmits Spanish-language news into Cuba, while Radio Free Asia broadcasts into six countries including China and North Korea, providing uncensored content to audiences.
Combined, the networks reach an estimated 427 million people.
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Thomas Kent, an international consultant on media ethics, said it will be harder for the US to get its messages to the world.
"Without the international broadcasting, the image of the United States and the Trump administration will be in the hands of others, including the administration's opponents, (and) countries and people who consider the United States an enemy," he said.
Among those adversaries is China, noted US Congressional representative Ami Bera in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Mr Bera said the media cuts will be detrimental to US influence and the country's ability to counter China's "authoritarian narrative".
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"Radio Free Asia plays a vital role in countering China's influence by providing accurate and uncensored news to audiences facing relentless propaganda from the People's Republic of China," said Mr Bera on X.
"Just as Radio Free Europe successfully countered Soviet disinformation during the Cold War, Radio Free Asia helps advance American values amidst our ongoing Great Power Competition with China and exposes egregious human rights abuses like the Uyghur genocide and Beijing's covert activities abroad."
He said the funding reduction was part of the "continued reckless and haphazard cuts" by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is headed by Elon Musk.
On Saturday, Mr Musk made light of the cuts to USAGM.
"While winding down this global government propaganda agency, it has temporarily been renamed the Department of Propaganda Everywhere (DOPE)," he wrote on X.
So far, DOGE has produced potential cuts of more than 100,000 jobs across the 2.3 million-member federal civilian workforce, a freeze on foreign aid and cancellation of thousands of programs and contracts.
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VOA boss Michael Abramowitz said people "living under tyranny" will not have access to objective and balanced news and information.
"VOA promotes freedom and democracy around the world by telling America's story," he said.
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Stephen Capus, head of Radio Free Europe, said the demise of the network would be celebrated by the "Iranian Ayatollahs, Chinese communist leaders, and autocrats in Moscow and Minsk".
"Without us, the nearly 50 million people in closed societies who depend on us for accurate news and information each week won't have access to the truth about America and the world," Mr Capus said.
Press advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RFS) expressed outrage at the cuts, saying the decision "threatens press freedom worldwide" and urged Congress and other international stakeholders to rally against the move.
"RSF stands in solidarity with VOA's employees and is worried for the 10 employees of USAGAM currently detained abroad for doing their work: producing journalism," it added.
In addition to USAGM, Mr Trump's executive order also targeted other federal agencies for cuts that would limit them "to the minimum presence and function required by law".
These included the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the US Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and the Minority Business Development Agency.
Reuters/AP