On March 15, 2023, President Donald Trump took significant action to reshape the federal government by signing an executive order targeting the parent organization of the U.S. government-funded media outlet Voice of America (VOA) along with six other federal agencies. This move is part of his ongoing initiative to streamline operations within the government, reducing what he deems unnecessary bureaucratic elements.
The newly signed executive order instructs various federal agencies, many of which are lesser-known, to minimize their operations to only what is required by law. This directive affects agencies that provide funding for critical sectors such as museums and libraries, as well as those addressing homelessness. The order emphasizes the necessity for these organizations to operate at the bare minimum, adhering strictly to statutory requirements.
This executive order is a continuation of Trump's broader agenda to reduce federal bureaucracy. The document, made public late on Friday, indicates that the President has identified certain elements of the federal system as excessive. Notably, Trump has had a contentious relationship with the Voice of America during his presidency, and in a move to solidify control over the agency, he appointed former news anchor Kari Lake as its director for his second term. Lake, a vocal supporter of Trump, has frequently criticized mainstream media for what she perceives as anti-Trump bias.
As an international media broadcaster operating in over 40 languages across various platforms, VOA plays a crucial role in disseminating news worldwide. It is overseen by the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which also funds other significant entities like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia. The executive order not only targets the Agency for Global Media but also addresses agencies such as the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and the Minority Business Development Agency.
The order mandates these agencies to eliminate all operations not explicitly authorized by law and to reduce their statutory functions and personnel to a minimum. This initiative is part of Trump's larger strategy to remake the federal bureaucracy, a task that he has largely delegated to tech billionaire Elon Musk and the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). To date, the DOGE initiative has indicated potential cuts of over 100,000 jobs within the 2.3 million-member federal civilian workforce, a freeze on foreign aid, and the cancellation of numerous programs and contracts.
Reactions to this executive order have varied. Some Republicans have accused VOA and other publicly funded media outlets of having a bias against conservative viewpoints. Recently, Musk expressed his desire to see both VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty shut down via a post on his social media platform, X. In her remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Kari Lake acknowledged the calls for the complete dismantling of VOA but argued for its potential improvement instead.
As the situation develops, the implications of Trump's executive order on federal operations and public media remain to be seen, but it is clear that the push for reduced bureaucracy will continue to be a central theme of his administration.
