President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday to slash Voice of America. The plan looks to largely dismantle the government-funded media outlet as well as programs like Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty.
“This order continues the reduction in the elements of the Federal bureaucracy that the President has determined are unnecessary,” reads the order, released late Friday.
In response to the news, nonprofit activist group the Committee to Protect Journalists slammed the order as “outrageous,” and called for members of Congress to defend VOA.
“It is outrageous that the White House is seeking to gut the Congress-funded agency supporting independent journalism that challenges narratives of authoritarian regimes around the world,” said Carlos Martinez de la Serna, program director of CPJ. “We call on congressional leaders to protect this critical agency, which provides uncensored news in countries where the press is restricted.”
More to come…
