Trump Takes Aim at Government-Funded News Agency, Starts Dismantling ‘Propaganda’
President Donald Trump took a decisive step in overhauling the Voice of America (VOA) with a new executive order, slashing its operations and putting nearly all its employees on leave. The move, which aims to eliminate government-funded propaganda-fueled media outlets, is part of Trump’s broader effort to reign in biased media.
“President Trump is delivering on his promise to make our government more efficient,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told USA TODAY on Saturday. “American taxpayers should not be funding anti-American propaganda in the name of journalism.”
Before the weekend, Trump signed an executive order, “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” aimed at several government agencies, including the United States Agency for Global Media, the parent organization of Voice of America. He called the move “necessity.” Employees received an email informing them they were being placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until notified otherwise.
The White House stated that the executive order “will protect taxpayers from funding radical propaganda,” highlighting criticisms of Voice of America. (Read more from “Trump Takes Aim at Government-Funded News Agency, Starts Dismantling ‘Propaganda'” HERE)
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