Several employees of the United States’ funded international news broadcast service were placed on administrative leave this week.
In an executive order signed on Friday, President Donald Trump outlined seven federal agencies to be reduced in size, including the United States Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America. The reduction was made to agencies Trump saw as “unnecessary,” the order states.
“President Trump is delivering on his promise to make our government more efficient,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told USA TODAY on Saturday. “American taxpayers should not be funding anti-American propaganda in the name of journalism.”
In an email sent to Agency for Global Media employees, obtained by Reuters and the New York Times, the agency’s human resources director told employees they were being placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits, until notified otherwise.
“This administrative leave is not being done for any disciplinary purpose,” the email states.
Kari Lake, Senior Advisor for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, attends Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona on Dec. 22, 2024.
In a post made to X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday morning, Kari Lake, the senior advisor for the Agency for Global Media, encouraged employees to check their emails for more information about the order. Lake, who was appointed to the role by Trump in December, did not comment further.
Here’s what we know about how the executive order will affect the Agency for Global Media and in turn, Voice of America.
Trump executive order: Trump cuts funding for federal agencies with executive order: See list of what’s affected
Agency employees asked to turn in badges, log out of systems but be on call
The email sent to Agency for Global Media employees instructed them to turn in identification badges and press passes and return all official government property. Employees placed on leave are also not allowed to enter Agency for Global Media buildings or systems.
However, all employees placed on administrative leave must be available during normal business hours, in case agency officials need to contact them, the email states. If employees are requested to return to work, they will have one business day to do so.
The number of employees placed on administrative leave has not been shared by the federal agency. Trump’s administration nor Agency for Global Media Human Resources Director Crystal Thomas immediately responded for comment when contacted by USA TODAY on Saturday.
Did DOGE slash the Agency for Global Media?
According to a White House Fact Sheet, the Department of Government Efficiency, the federal advisory agency led by billionaire Elon Musk, helped identify the agency.
Musk has repeatedly shared his dislike for the federal agency on X, claiming that the Agency for Global Media has been paying media organizations to push “left-wing” propaganda.
More news: Elon Musk’s DOGE team doubling to 200 employees amid federal workforce cuts elsewhere
What is the US Agency for Global Media?
Funded by Congress, the Agency for Global Media oversees all non-military, international broadcasting. In addition to Voice of America, the agency operates Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Radio Free Asia, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks and Open Technology Fund.
Across all of its networks, the Agency of Global Media provides news in 64 languages to more than 427 million people, according to its website.
In 1994, President Bill Clinton established the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversaw all of the country’s international, non-military broadcasting, including Voice of America, was was established in the 1940s, according to the agency’s website. In 2018, the Broadcasting Board of Governors was renamed to the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
What is Voice of America?
Voice of America, also known as VOA, is the largest U.S. international broadcaster, providing news in 50 languages to more than 354 million people, its website states. The broadcaster produces digital, television and radio content.
VOA was established in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and at the time was called the U.S. Foreign Information Service, according to the VOA website. Roosevelt created the service after several other countries had already well-established international news broadcasters. The Netherlands was the first country to direct radio news broadcasts internationally, starting in 1927, according to the VOA website.
Despite being maintained by the government, a “firewall” established by the 1994 U.S. International Broadcasting Act prohibits government officials from interfering with VOA’s “objective, independent” reporting, according to the VOA website.
“The firewall ensures that VOA can make the final decisions on what stories to cover, and how they are covered,” the website reads.
What other agencies is Trump looking to downsize?
Trump’s executive order also reduces the following six federal agencies:
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Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
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Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the Smithsonian Institution
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Institute of Museum and Library Services
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United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
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Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
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Minority Business Development Agency
This story has been updated to add new information.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump signs order eliminating Voice of America: What to know
