Trump’s Awful Decision to Gut Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Yesterday, President Donald Trump issued an executive order essentially gutting Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and other US government-supported media aimed at getting news and information to populations living under authoritarian regimes. The EO has resulted in a freeze of their congressionally allocated funds, and puts all or most staff on leave (presumably in preparation for laying them off permanently).

Trump’s order is a blow to America’s “soft power” and to dissidents battling anti-American authoritarian regimes. VOA, RFE/RL and other similar media are among the few federal programs whose value far exceeds the money expended on them.

During the Cold War, millions of people living under communist regimes listened to these networks, and got news and analysis that countered regime propaganda. These media helped inspire dissident movements, and the eventual overthrow of communism in the USSR and Eastern Europe in 1989-91. My own parents were among the many Soviet citizens who clandestinely listened to VOA broadcasts, and it helped solidify their opposition to the regime.

In more recent years, VOA and RFE/RL operate on the internet as much or more than on traditional radio. But they continue to be valuable resources for dissidents and others living under authoritarian regimes, such as those of Russia and Belarus. Radio Free Asia and Radio Marti provide similar services for China and Cuba, respectively.

Shutting these programs down is an obvious boon to dictators like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. As Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza puts it, Trump’s EO is “One more champagne bottle opened in the Kremlin.” It is, sadly, of a piece with the Trump Administration’s increasing estrangement from other liberal democracies, and alignment with despots like Putin.

Nor can it be said that the order will save any significant amount of money. The annual budget of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees all these broadcasters, is only about $950 million, barely a rounding error in the $7 trillion federal budget. For that small investment, we significantly weaken some of America’s principal enemies by bolstering internal opposition to their regimes. We thereby also augment the “soft power” of the appeal of American liberal democracy.

Since 2014, I have often been an (unpaid) guest commentator on Russian-language RFE/RL, and a few times on VOA.  I was proud to do it, as a small partial repayment of the debt I and others owe to these organizations.

One of the strengths of RFE/RL and VOA is that they have a measure of editorial independence from the administration in power. Thus, they often have commentators critical of various aspects of US policy. For example, in my very first RFE/RL interview, back in 2014, I criticized the Obama Administration for usurping Congress’ war powers. In later appearances, I was also critical of Trump and Biden on various issues. Obviously, RFE/RL and VOA often host defenders of the administration in power, as well. When I appeared, it was often together with another expert advocating the opposite view. But the willingness to host critics strengthens these outlets’ credibility with the target audience, and provides it with valuable lessons on how a free media operates.

This editorial independence may well be what attracted Trump’s ire. A few days ago, he became angry when a VOA reporter (correctly) pointed out that Trump had advocated expelling the civilian population of Gaza. Although Trump denied it, he had in fact previously advocated exactly that. It may be no accident that the EO targeting VOA came just two days later.

Regardless of Trump’s motives, the apparent shuttering of VOA and RFE/RL is a blow to people living under oppression and a needless gift to America’s enemies. With measures such as this and the betrayal of Ukraine, Trump’s foreign policy is making anti-American authoritarians great again.

NOTE: As indicated above, I have been a guest commentator on Russian-language RFE/RL and VOA. As also noted, this is an unpaid role. However, cynics might still argue I am only opposed to Trump’s order because it somehow hurts my career. The truth of the matter is that appearing on Russian-language media does little or nothing for my career, because hardly any of the people with influence over my career prospects (mostly other US law professors0 follow such media or even know Russian. I appeared on these programs as a (very small) public service because I am one of the few Russian speakers available to them who have relevant expertise on the kinds of law and policy issues they interviewed me about.

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