Voice of America requires reform, not dismantlement.
The Trump administration fired nearly 600 contractors who worked for the outlet, a decision that came after the government cut federal funding for its parent company, the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Despite VOA’s shortcomings, President Donald Trump should make VOA great again.
Both Trump and former Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake, whom Trump appointed to lead the USAGM, have had VOA in their crosshairs. They have accused VOA of broadcasting “radical propaganda,” pointing to past stories that they said reflected “leftist” viewpoints. Lake also accused VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which also operates under USAGM’s aegis, of harboring “spies and terrorist sympathizers.” She suggested it was squandering taxpayer funds and ultimately “not salvageable.”
Like any media entity, VOA has numerous flaws, but the decision to gut it is a self-inflicted attack on America’s ability to combat foreign disinformation and advance American exceptionalism. With appropriate corrective action, VOA can be a powerful tool in Washington’s arsenal. For one, VOA’s reach extended to over 350 million people in 49 languages.
To be sure, Trump and Lake are correct when they criticize VOA for going outside its lane. VOA says it was founded to “exemplify the principles of a free press” by “providing comprehensive coverage of the news and telling audiences the truth.” Its charter calls for news coverage that “presents a balanced and comprehensive projection of significant American thought and institutions.”
Today’s VOA needs to recenter around these principles. Through straightforward structural and functional reforms, the Trump administration can reignite VOA to amplify pro-American narratives and counter information warfare.
VOA has long operated via a notional firewall to prevent U.S. government meddling in its output. This should be kept intact so that people trust VOA’s reporting is not being shaped by any president. Nevertheless, VOA should have closer access to the Trump administration for its reporting to advance its mission. VOA should amplify the vision and preferences of whoever is in the White House. It should strengthen its editorial and opinion departments and invite administration officials to regularly appear on VOA shows and contribute opinion pieces.
In addition, VOA should refrain from promoting polarizing news and should stick to objectively informing audiences about domestic and international news. It should also tell the American story, which entails promoting and safeguarding freedom and democracy globally, as VOA has done successfully for decades.
Compared to what Russia and China are spending on their information warfare, $1.42 billion and multiple billions, respectively, VOA is run on the cheap with its budget of $267.5 million. Still, the White House has an opportunity to further reduce costs in line with budget priorities by eliminating some redundant management positions and marketing acquisitions.
The Trump administration should also facilitate greater cooperation between VOA and other outlets under the aegis of USAGM, such as RFE/RL and Radio Free Asia. These outlets should coordinate their stories to promote a coherent narrative of American exceptionalism. Moreover, increased cooperation would better enable these entities to share best practices and together engage external consultants to root out inefficiencies and gather fresh programming ideas.
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As VOA refreshes its programming, it should exploit opportunities to appeal to younger audiences, such as by working with social media influencers. VOA should also prioritize reporting about issues relevant to Middle America to bolster buy-in for its mission from all Americans.
Washington established VOA during the geopolitically fraught 20th century, and it was a key pillar of U.S. power projection during the Cold War. Today, the United States finds itself in a new era of strategic rivalry, with Moscow and Beijing waging an information war against it. If the Trump administration destroys VOA, the only winners are America’s authoritarian adversaries.
Ivana Stradner is a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery is a senior director at its Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation.