In its 83-year history, Voice of America (VOA) has faced numerous attempts to silence it, but the most successful effort is now unfolding within the United States government. The iconic broadcaster, which has been a lifeline for millions of people around the world, was effectively shut down earlier this month after President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting the agency.
VOA’s Historic Mission to Broadcast Truth
Voice of America was established during World War II to provide accurate information to people under Nazi control. The first broadcast was in German, aiming to counter the Nazi propaganda machine. The message was clear: “We shall tell you the truth,” no matter whether the news was good or bad.
Over time, VOA expanded its reach, broadcasting during the Cold War to help people living under communist regimes. In 1963, VOA made global headlines by broadcasting Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech to millions, offering a powerful message of equality and freedom.
VOA as a Voice for Freedom and Truth
Mark Pomar, a former director of VOA’s Soviet Union service, explained how the broadcaster became an essential tool for spreading American values globally. “VOA communicated the excitement of being an American,” he said. VOA provided a window into the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, which helped dissidents in the Soviet Union understand the struggles for freedom in the U.S.
One of the defining moments for VOA was its coverage of the Watergate scandal. In an era when the Soviet Union tightly controlled media, VOA’s objective and critical reporting on the U.S. government was a revelation to many who had never seen such coverage.
VOA’s unflinching commitment to covering both America’s triumphs and flaws earned it respect and admiration worldwide. Even during the Iranian hostage crisis, VOA’s broadcasts into Tehran gave the Iranian people a glimpse of America’s perspective on the ongoing events.
The Role of VOA in Public Diplomacy
Despite being funded by Congress, VOA has operated with a high degree of independence, adhering to a charter that mandates its reporting to be “accurate, objective, and comprehensive.” The agency was designed to be a firewall between government influence and editorial decisions. This independence allowed VOA to serve not only as a reliable news source but also as an essential tool in U.S. foreign policy.
Steve Herman, VOA’s chief national correspondent, described it as “the hard edge of soft power.” He pointed out that authoritarian regimes like those in China, Russia, and Iran have long attempted to block VOA broadcasts, either by jamming radio signals, blocking websites, or imprisoning VOA reporters.
“If it wasn’t effective, would they go to these lengths to silence us?” Herman asked.
President Trump’s Executive Order to Silence VOA
In February 2025, President Trump appointed Kari Lake, a former TV anchor and Arizona political candidate, as senior advisor at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the agency that oversees VOA and other broadcasters. Lake has since played a key role in implementing a policy to cut VOA’s funding and staff.
Earlier this month, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at reducing VOA’s parent agency as much as possible. The White House labeled VOA as “radical propaganda”. Under Lake’s leadership, VOA’s journalists were suspended, and transmissions were cut off, effectively silencing the broadcaster for the first time in 83 years.
Two weeks later, a federal judge blocked the administration’s attempt to dismantle VOA for the time being. However, the damage to the agency has already been done.
The Impact of Silencing VOA
Steve Herman described the loss of VOA as an incalculable blow to both the agency and its millions of global listeners. “For hundreds of millions of people, this is an unimaginable loss,” he said. Without VOA’s independent voice, Herman warned that authoritarian narratives from dictatorships will dominate the airwaves.