Silencing Americas Voice To The World
March 31, 2025
On March 14, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order closing the U.S. Agency for Global Media, an independent agency created by Congress in 1999. Like many of his supposed cost-cutting measures, this action may not pass the legality test. If it does, it will not save much, if any, money; instead, the United States and the world will be much poorer for its loss.
Few here or abroad will recognize the name Agency for Global Media. But millions will recognize the name of its oldest constituent part, the Voice of America. Founded in 1942, at the height of World War II, VOA was dedicated to spreading truth to the world, and especially to the nations under authoritarian rule that denied them information. Over the years, VOA was joined by regional broadcasting networks devoted to the same purpose: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Office of Cuban Broadcasting, and Middle East Broadcasting Network. More recently those have been joined by the Open Technology Fund, which provides free internet access to millions.
The Voice of America and the other outlets that the Trump Administration seeks to eliminate are quite literally the voice of America. They reflect our deep commitment to free speech and the broadest spread of information, two of the most important founding principles of our Constitution, whose origins go at least as far back as the New Testament: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
We, the members of the Steady State, are former national security professionals who can testify to the power of VOA and the other broadcasting networks. Founded during a world war, they remained critical instruments of US foreign policy during the Cold War, and have only grown in importance as more and more populations fall under authoritarian rule. Some might think these networks spread propaganda. Instead, they wielded a far more powerful and effective instrument of state power: the truth. They were devoted to the highest standards of independent journalism, reporting U.S. domestic difficulties as fully and openly as they did our triumphs. Oppressed populations throughout the world were drawn to a country that was so open and free that it did not shrink from admitting its shortcomings.
As an American, I was not a VOA target audience, but I was privileged to experience its greatness many years ago. In August 1974, I began intensive language training in Germany. My language skills at first were not up to local news, so I listened to VOA. I expected propaganda but heard just the opposite: full and fair coverage of the U.S. controversy over President Ford’s pardon of ex-President Nixon. I went from being a skeptic of the U.S. Government information services to an admirer. One year later I began a long career in the federal service. My fortuitous encounter with VOA was not the major factor behind that choice, but it was an important ne.
Given the Agenda for Global Media’s power and influence, it was a great financial bargain. There are undoubtedly many areas in the federal government where significant costs can be saved at no risk to the national security. But this is not one of those. The Agency for Global Media’s total budget was $886 million in 2024. That may sound like a lot of money, but it was only 0.1 percent of the Defense Department budget, and 0.013 percent of the total federal budget. Any savings from its closing would be minuscule, but the costs to America’s power, influence and standing in the world would be incalculable. America’s voice to the world must not be silenced.
Dr. Susan Koch’s federal government service included work in the White House National Security Council Staff, State Department, Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, specializing in weapons of mass destruction arms control and nonproliferation. She is a member of The Steady State, an organization of former national security officials.