United States President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to dismantle the government-funded news agency Voice of America (VOA), accusing it of promoting biased media reports, according to Fox News.
“Voice of America has been out of step with America for years. It serves as the Voice for Radical America and has pushed divisive propaganda for years now,” a senior White House official told Fox News Digital.
Trump signed the executive order on Friday, directing the dismantling of seven government offices, including the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, as reported by Fox News.
“The non-statutory components and functions of the following governmental entities shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, and such entities shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law,” the Executive Order reads.
The U.S. Agency for Global Media and its senior advisor, Kari Lake, issued a statement labeling the agency as “not salvageable.”
“From top-to-bottom, this agency is a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer—a national security risk for this nation—and irretrievably broken. While there are bright spots within the agency with personnel who are talented and dedicated public servants, this is the exception rather than the rule,” the statement read.
The executive order also targets other agencies, including the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars at the Smithsonian Institution, 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.