On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order aiming to disband seven additional federal agencies, including the agency responsible for overseeing Voice of America and other government-supported media organizations globally.
The order instructs the heads of these largely lesser-known agencies, which deal with matters such as labor mediation and preventing homelessness, to eliminate any functions that are not required by statute. Furthermore, the leaders are being urged to “reduce the execution of their statutory functions and related personnel to the absolute minimum necessary by law,” as stated in the order.
Similar to many actions taken by the president in his broader initiative to reduce government size, this order appears to challenge the limits of his authority. For instance, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America, is established by Congress as an independent agency. Moreover, legislation passed in 2020 was designed to limit the power of the agency’s chief executive, who is appointed by the president.
Beyond Voice of America, the Agency for Global Media also funds Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia. This organization operates with a budget of around $270 million and employs over 2,000 people, broadcasting in 49 languages, reaching an estimated weekly audience of more than 361 million individuals.
These media outlets are meant to deliver impartial news to audiences worldwide; however, Mr. Trump has been critical of their editorial choices since his initial term. The president had already raised concerns at the agency by appointing Kari Lake, a staunch supporter who previously lost races for governor and Senate in Arizona, as a special adviser.
The other agencies targeted by Mr. Trump on Friday include the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, focused on preventing and resolving labor conflicts; the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a nonpartisan think tank; the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which supports museums, libraries, and archives; the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, aimed at preventing and ending homelessness; the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, designed to assist struggling communities financially; and the Minority Business Development Agency, which promotes the growth of minority-owned businesses.
The heads of these entities are expected to submit their compliance plans to Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, within seven days, detailing which functions are legally mandated.
Since Mr. Trump assumed office, billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency have been working to significantly reform the federal government by downsizing staff and programs. Recently, the Education Department announced the dismissal of more than 1,300 employees, resulting in the agency being reduced to about half of its original workforce.
Mr. Musk’s team has claimed to save taxpayers billions of dollars, although their assertions have faced scrutiny due to inaccuracies in the data they published. Furthermore, some initiatives have been blocked by federal judges, including recent rulings that ordered agencies to rehire thousands of federal employees dismissed the prior month for being on probationary status.
