The Trump administration’s recent decision to shut down Voice of America has ignited a series of legal challenges. Critics claim it’s an attack on press freedom while supporters argue the agency has become a leftist propaganda machine that needed restructuring. If the “Voice of America” is Woke and expensive, do we really need it?
At a glance:
• Trump administration and Senior Advisor Kari Lake shut down Voice of America, citing leftist bias
• Journalists, federal workers, and unions have filed a lawsuit in New York challenging the closure
• Plaintiffs include major unions, Reporters Without Borders, and VOA White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara
• Lake called VOA a “giant rot” and a “national security risk” that needs restructuring
• Chinese-American author Xi Van Fleet criticized VOA for being infiltrated by American Marxists
Trump Administration Tackles “Leftist Propaganda Machine”
The Trump administration has taken decisive action against a taxpayer-funded leftist propaganda outlet by shutting down Voice of America (VOA). Senior Advisor Kari Lake orchestrated the closure, placing approximately 1,300 employees on indefinite leave and effectively halting operations of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM).
Lake called the agency a “giant rot” that had become a national security risk and burden to American taxpayers. The former Arizona gubernatorial candidate has been tasked with restructuring the agency, which Republicans have long criticized for its perceived anti-American bias.
Liberals Fight Back With Legal Challenge
In a predictable response, VOA journalists, federal workers’ unions, and press freedom organizations have filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York challenging the shutdown. The lead plaintiff is VOA White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara, joined by major unions including AFGE, AFSCME, The NewsGuild-CWA, and Reporters Without Borders.
The lawsuit claims the Trump administration violated journalists’ freedom and separation of powers by halting operations and locking the agency’s doors. Legal representation is being provided by several left-leaning organizations, including the Government Accountability Project and Democracy Forward.
“The Voice of America was created to promote freedom of press and advance democratic values across the globe. Silencing this agency is nothing short of anti-American and a retaliatory attack on the independent journalists and workers who have dedicated their careers to fighting oppressive regimes and censorship,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders.
Evidence of Leftist Infiltration
While liberals claim the shutdown threatens press freedom, conservatives have long documented VOA’s leftward drift. Chinese-American author Xi Van Fleet has been particularly vocal, criticizing VOA for being infiltrated by American Marxists and becoming a propaganda tool, especially in its Mandarin service.
The Trump administration believes VOA had strayed from its original mission of spreading truth and fighting propaganda from authoritarian regimes. Instead of providing objective news to people living under oppressive governments, critics argue VOA began promoting progressive narratives that often aligned with America’s adversaries.
If even Kari Lake wants it to shut down after just being appointed to oversee it, there must be something seriously wrong there.
