Trump administration cancels funding for entire Radio Liberty network

Multiple sources report that US President Donald Trump's administration has announced the complete cancellation of funding for the RFE/RL network (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty).

Source: European Pravda, citing sources and American media

Details: European Pravda has learned that the network intends to continue its operations and hopes to secure alternative funding.

Radio Liberty representatives were informed of the suspension of federal funding in a letter signed by Kari Lake, an advisor to the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the government-funded organisation overseeing Voice of America, the Radio Liberty network, and other media outlets. The Wall Street Journal has also confirmed this information.

"Lake on Saturday sent a letter, which was viewed by The Wall Street Journal, to Radio Free Europe/Radio Free Liberty’s CFO Joseph Lataille terminating federal grant funding," the RFE/RL reported.

American investigative journalist Tara Palmeri published the letter's contents. It mentions the immediate termination of a specific grant funding the broadcaster, "and any other grants with USAGM". The reason for the termination of funding is that "the award no longer effectuates agency priorities". The decision is based on Trump's executive order signed on 14 March to "further reduce federal bureaucracy".

The letter, in accordance with the law, provides for the possibility of appealing the order to terminate funding.

European Pravda sources in the RFE/RL network confirm the reports of this order but note that the language services hope to avoid closure and intend to continue working while negotiating with Washington to reconsider the decision.

Update: The RFE/RL later confirmed the termination of the federal grant agreement that finances its global operations.

Background:

• On Saturday, Voice of America journalists were suspended from their roles, with cuts so severe that they effectively amounted to a near-total network shutdown.
• This week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that 83% of USAID programmes would be scaled back following a six-week review.
• On 7 February, US President Donald Trump stated that "corruption has reached an unprecedented level" at the US Agency for International Development and that, as a result, the agency must be dismantled.

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