While defunding Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty doesn’t make the US president a “good guy,” it’s a positive step.
President Trump and Elon Musk are continuing their efforts to dismantle parts of the American government. This latest action, carried out through an executive order, targets various offices, including those involved in labor dispute mediation and homelessness mitigation.
The Trump administration’s approach is consistent: instead of outright closures, which are legally restricted, they are cutting funding.
However, the most significant outcry from centrists, liberals, and the media has been against the cuts to state propaganda, specifically, propaganda aimed at the rest of the world.
The US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), essentially the US ministry for propaganda abroad, is among the targeted agencies.
USAGM, though established in 2018, has roots in the Cold War era.
It originally included Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, and Radio Liberty. Voice of America, created during World War II, was repurposed to counter Soviet influence.
The CIA’s involvement was kept secret until the late 1960s due to fears of Soviet retaliation. The secrecy wasn’t about fear of the Soviets, but about manipulating public opinion in both the East and West, presenting geopolitically driven propaganda as independent news.
The CIA officially ended its direct control after 1971. However, it’s questionable whether an agency known for deception truly relinquished its influence.
The Board for International Broadcasting, appointed by the president, then took over, highlighting the importance of this global propaganda machine to Washington.
Later, the board evolved into USAGM, controlling Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.
USAGM reportedly reached 427 million people weekly in 64 languages, delivering over 3,000 hours of programming aligned with the US “national interest.”
This American propaganda ministry was larger and wealthier than anything the Soviets had.
Trump and Musk have now reduced its reach. The Cold War ended long ago, so this move is overdue. Musk suggested these outlets were only talking to themselves, but they reached a wide audience. Their “radical” and “crazy” nature was, in fact, very American.
Reason is scarce in America’s political center. Instead of welcoming the dismantling of this costly Cold War relic, there’s been widespread lament.
Voice of America’s director, Michael Abramowitz, mourned the cuts, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to objectivity and balance. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s head, Steve Capus, claimed the cuts would be a “massive gift to America’s enemies.”
These reactions echo the rhetoric of the 1950s, reminiscent of McCarthyism.
Abramowitz didn’t mention the Palestinians living under Israeli occupation, suggesting that “objectivity” and “balance” were lacking at VOA, much like “democracy” and “freedom” in the US.
Grant Turner, the former chief financial officer at USAGM, also criticized the cuts.
It’s understandable that propaganda officials wouldn’t welcome the end of their work or careers. Abramowitz, Capus, and Turner are not alone in their opposition. Outlets like The Washington Post have also protested Trump’s action.
The Czech Republic’s foreign minister, Jan Lipavsky, also voiced concern. Europeans seem inclined to adopt discarded Washington projects, like maintaining costly Cold War propaganda or continuing a bloody proxy war against Russia.
These disinformation machines should be shut down. They have consistently caused harm through warmongering and supporting regime change operations disguised as color revolutions. Ivan Katchanovski, an expert on the Maidan massacre in Kiev in 2014, noted how these outlets covered up and misrepresented the event by removing video evidence and omitting a Ukrainian court’s confirmation that it was a far-right, pro-Western operation.
The Trump administration isn’t necessarily virtuous. They also use lies and censorship. However, the world doesn’t need more propaganda. The conflict between American factions over their respective propaganda machines is a darkly humorous spectacle.
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