The Trump administration announced on Friday that the United States Agency for Global Media, the parent entity of Voice of America and Radio Free Europe, would be discontinued.
An executive order from the White House listed the U.S. Agency for Global Media as one of seven government agencies “that the President has determined are unnecessary.”
The non-statutory components of the U.S. Agency for Global media will therefore be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.”
The entities will also “reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law.”
A senior White House official told Fox News that “Voice of America has been out of step with America for years.”
“It serves as the Voice for Radical America and has pushed divisive propaganda for years now,” the official added.
Other agencies listed by the executive order included the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the Smithsonian Institution, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and the Minority Business Development Agency.
Kari Lake, who serves as special adviser to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, announced in a press release that she previously vowed to “implement President Trump’s executive orders in his mission to reduce the size and scope of the federal government.”
“Today we continue the process of doing that by streamlining our operations to what is statutorily required by law,” she continued.
“The US Agency for Global media will continue to deliver on all statutory programs that fall under the agency’s purview and shed everything that is not statutorily required. I fully support the President’s executive order. Waste, fraud, and abuse run rampant in this agency and American taxpayers shouldn’t have to fund it.”
The release detailed “egregious findings” at the organization, such as national security violations, infiltration by foreign spies and terrorists, and an “eye-popping” level of “self-dealing involving contracts, grants and high-value settlement agreements.”
The agency also leases a high rise on Pennsylvania Avenue that lacks broadcasting capabilities, a spending decision that the administration views as wasteful.
The staffers at the U.S. Agency for Global Media impacted by the decision were placed on paid administrative leave on Saturday and will “remain on leave until further notice.”
“From top-to-bottom this agency is a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer—a national security risk for this nation—and irretrievably broken,” the release continued.
“While there are bright spots within the agency with personnel who are talented and dedicated public servants, this is the exception rather than the rule.”
Lake, who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate and for governor in her home state of Arizona, added in her statement that the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for Global Media would be a “significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States.”
“I appreciate the work of the dedicated public servants and their contributions to the Agency and its outlets,” she said. “I look forward to moving forward with modernizing the core mission of telling America’s story throughout the world in a meaningful, impactful and effective way.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
The post Trump Orders Media Outlet That Has ‘Pushed Divisive Propaganda for Years’ to Be ‘Eliminated to the Maximum Extent’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.