News

Trump to close Voice of America’s overseas offices and radio stations

The push to close the offices appears to contradict a federal judge’s order from April, which required Trump officials to resume operations at VOA. (The New York Times | December 2, 2025)

Congress to continue funding Voice of America, despite Trump’s wishes (The Desk - January 13, 2026)
VOA: MIA (Politico - January 13, 2026)
Proposed spending bill includes VOA funding (Radio World - January 13, 2026)
Congress agrees to fund Voice of America, bucking Trump shutdown order (The Washington Post - January 13, 2026)
Russian disinformation comes to Mexico, seeking to rupture US ties (The New York Times - November 24, 2025)
Trump blocked from gutting Voice of America collective bargaining rights (Courthouse News Service - November 14, 2025)

Growing up with VOA

Two months after Trump dismantled Voice of America, a look back on what was lost (NPR)News services like Voice of America helped save my family (The Wall Street Journal)

Editorials and Analysis

Trump’s closure of Voice of America is coming back to bite him

As the president threatens Venezuela, Russia and China are filling the information vacuum. (The Washington Post)

Voice of America comes whispering back (The Dallas Morning News)
Trump is addicted to military force. Congress knows what is missing. (The Washington Post)
Potemkin Airwaves: The hollow resurrection of US international broadcasting (The News Guy - Steve Herman | Substack)
The slashing of Voice of America left a void Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is happy to fill (MSNBC)
World needs voice from America, not China (Boston Herald)

We must restore the US Agency for Global Media, not eliminate it By Rep. Young Kim, R-CA (National Review)We need the Voice of America now more than ever By Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Dem.-NH (Foreign Policy)

Fact checks

Kari Lake isn’t telling the truth about the VOA (The Wall Street Journal)

The White House’s flimsy attack on Voice of America (The Washington Post)

International reactions

Russia

RT on the rise as VOA fades (The World)
China and Russia rejoice as the US cuts its global media (Foundation for Defense of Democracies)
Trump mutes Voice of America, makes space for Russian and Chinese influence (France 24)
Kremlin says Trump funding cut for Radio Free Europe is a US internal matter (Reuters)
Russian TV celebrates Trump's 'awesome' move to shut down Voice of America (Newsweek)

Asia

Africa

Video reports

Judge orders Trump administration to restore Voice of America (MSNBC)
VOA journalist Steve Herman on embattled agency: "We got DOGE'd" (Jim Acosta CNN - substack)
Trump's latest round of cuts threatens free media in Asia (ABC News (Australia))
Radio Free Europe sues over US funding cuts | 60 Minutes (60 Minutes)

Support for VOA & USAGM

Organizations that stepped forward in support of U.S. international media

Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism Association for International Broadcasting Association of Foreign Press Correspondents Center for Democracy & Technology Committee to Protect Journalists European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) Forbidden Stories Free Press Freedom of the Press Foundation Global Investigative Journalism Network Global Reporting Centre Index on Censorship International Press Institute International Women’s Media Foundation Military Reporters and Editors National Press Club National Press Photographers Association Nieman Foundation for Journalism PEN America Public Media Alliance Pulitzer Center Radio Television Digital News Association Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Society of Professional Journalists Society of Professional Journalists The Bureau of Investigative Journalism The CFHK Foundation The European Federation of Journalists World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)

News and editorials from around the web about efforts to shut down U.S. international media