Prominent reporters from the Voice of America (VOA) have criticized the Trump administration for allegedly translating and disseminating AI-generated material through VOA.
Kari Lake, appointed by Trump as the Senior Advisor to the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), has been pushing for the disbandment of VOA and its parent agency (USAGM) labeling it “rotten to the core” and in need of reform during her presentation before the Congress in June 2025.
In mid-March 2025, Lake halted USAGM and VOA broadcasts and placed more than 1,300 staff members on administrative leave. VOA has continued to play music while awaiting a court decision on the legal case involving VOA and the Trump administration.
Patsy Widakuswara, the lead plaintiff in Widakuswara v. Lake and the White House Bureau Chief, contends that the release of White House materials without adequate context renders VOA a mouthpiece for the administration.
“Kari Lake’s decision to publish White House handout material without providing context or balance brings VOA a step closer towards becoming nothing but the administration’s mouthpiece,” says Widakuswara.
She further emphasises that this action undermines VOA’s editorial autonomy and the principles of ethical journalism.
“It is betrayal of our legally mandated editorial independence and an insult to the journalistic integrity of those of us who covered U.S. administrations since our inception in 1942,” she adds.
The United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948, declares that “VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news. VOA news will be accurate, objective, and comprehensive.”
Barry Newhouse, the acting newsroom director for VOA, claims that Lake's actions violate the VOA Charter and the legal standards that have been upheld since 1942.
“These materials breach both VOA’s legal obligations and ethical standards. We must uphold editorial independence, journalistic integrity, and legal compliance," says Barry.
Since Trump took office on January 20, 2025, the media landscape has struggled with access to information and funding for government-supported media organizations and international broadcasters like VOA, Radio Free Asia (RFA), Radio Free Europe, CNN, New York Times, among others.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports that during Trump’s first 100 days in office, media freedom faced severe setbacks, threatening independent and fact-based journalism.
CPJ indicates that they have seen an uptick in reports from media organisations in the U.S. due to the increasingly polarized political climate against the media.
“CPJ has noted a significant increase in the number of newsrooms seeking safety advice, concerned that the changing national political environment could threaten their ability to report without fear of retribution from authorities,” states part of the report.
“The fate of American democracy and journalists’ ability to work without fear are intertwined. The blitz of policy changes from the White House and its appointees set a concerning tone for local governments domestically, and authoritarian-minded rulers globally, and has deepened a climate of hostility toward journalists.”
Critics have recently expressed concerns about Trump's actions and those of his administration for boosting authoritarian governments worldwide, including China and Russia, while undermining U.S. diplomatic efficacy.
VOA was established on February 1, 1942, to combat Nazi propaganda and provide reliable updates on the Second World War as a trustworthy and impartial news source. Over the years, VOA continued this broadcast, solidifying its position and gaining the trust of 361 million weekly viewers globally.
In late June 2025, some members of the US Congress voiced worries that authoritarian regimes were thriving and currently spreading propaganda without any Voice of America to challenge it.
Amnesty International-USA, reports that journalists today are facing silencing, imprisonment, and even disappearance as vague laws and judicial systems gain prominence, resulting in significant truth suppression, which is a fundamental aspect of journalism.
On June 25, 2025, Trump publicly criticized some media outlets in the U.S., including The New York Times and CNN, accusing them of disseminating false information about the operations carried out by B-2 pilots in Iran.
“We just caught the Failing New York Times, working with Fake News CNN, cheating again. They tried to demean the great work our B-2 pilots did, and they were wrong in doing so. These reporters are just bad and sick people,” said Trump on X.
The shutdown of major international broadcasters and these assaults have prompted critics to wonder about the extent of US commitment to media freedom in the world during Trump's administration, particularly in filling the gap created by the absence of VOA, RFE, and RFA.
