VOA nominee Kari Lake told staff on Saturday to check their emails ‘immediately.’
President Donald Trump signed an executive order late Friday that seeks to dismantle eight federal agencies, with the latest action building on his prior directive to eliminate elements of the federal bureaucracy deemed “unnecessary.”
The president’s March 14 order directs the agencies to shut down all non-legally required functions, cut staff, and reduce statutory roles to the bare minimum required by law.
He has given agency heads seven days to report compliance to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)—or justify the continued existence of whichever functions still remain.
A White House fact sheet notes that the cuts are to “enhance accountability, reduce waste, and promote innovation.”
It further notes that cutting the eight agencies will streamline government priorities, save taxpayer dollars, and “drain the swamp.”
Trump’s order names seven agencies that are slated for elimination: the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, United States Agency for Global Media, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Institute of Museum and Library Services, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and the Minority Business Development Agency.
The White House fact sheet identifies an eighth entity to be wound down—the Arctic Research Commission.
The Epoch Times has reached out to the White House with a request for confirmation that the Arctic Research Commission is encompassed by Trump’s latest directive.
The United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which runs Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia, has been in Trump’s crosshairs since his first term. With an annual budget of around $900 million that operates networks broadcasting in more than 60 languages and around 100 countries, USAGM has been a target of criticism from Trump’s allies, who argue it operates with a liberal bias.
The president has nominated Brent Bozell, a conservative media watchdog, to lead the USAGM—though his Senate confirmation is pending.
Meanwhile, Kari Lake, a former news anchor and Arizona gubernatorial candidate, has been tapped to steer VOA. Lake said in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference that she understands why there are calls to dismantle VOA but that she believes it can be improved.
She was sworn in as a senior adviser for the USAGM on March 3, as she awaits further action on her VOA nomination.
In a post on social media on Saturday, Lake said that Trump’s latest executive order affects VOA operations and added that staff should check their emails “immediately.” Already, multiple VOA staff have received emails placing them on administrative leave with full pay and benefits “until otherwise notified.” It was not immediately clear how many employees were affected.
By Tom Ozimek
