Ever since his re-election as US president, Donald Trump has made several direct and shocking orders that have implications for many countries. Withdrawing the US from WHO, signing executive orders to reduce the personnel and functions in various organizations and starting a “Tariff war” there is much that the president has done. On Friday after passing the funding bill by Congress, he asked to reduce the functions of seven federal agencies. This includes Voice of America and many more government-funded media outlets across borders.
The body overseeing Voice of America is the US Agency for Global Media whose powers have been reduced by the congress in 2020. This organization also funds Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia. Has over 2000 employees and broadcasts in 49 different languages. The move shows the President’s efforts at reducing the government size.
Other agencies targeted by the order include the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service which looks into labour matters, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Liberty and Museum Service, funding museums and archives, US Interagency Council of Homelessness, striving to prevent homelessness, Community Development Financial Institution Fund, that gives support to weaker communities; and the Minority Business Development Agency that strengthens business managed by minorities.
Reporters Without Borders, the Non-profit organization based in Paris said it “condemns this decision as a departure from the U.S.’s historic role as a defender of free information and calls on the U.S. government to restore VOA and urges Congress and the international community to take action against this unprecedented move.”
The move comes as a shock to the wider community. The crisis deepening around the world requires countries like the United States to strengthen the global humanitarian structure rather than implementing orders doing the opposite.
