Journalists at the Voice of America’s (VOA) Kurdish service face uncertainty after the Trump administration froze funding to the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). [Getty]
Journalists at the Voice of America’s (VOA) Kurdish service face uncertainty after the Trump administration froze funding to the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), leaving the broadcaster and its staff in limbo.
The decision has sparked widespread criticism internationally and locally, seen as an attack on independent journalism, particularly in regions with limited press freedoms.
Established in 1992 after the first Gulf War, VOA Kurdish provides news and cultural programmes to millions of Kurds globally through radio, television, and online platforms. Recent funding cuts have placed its future in jeopardy.
Four VOA Kurdish journalists, including two based in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, expressed serious concern about the potential closure or significant operational reductions. They spoke anonymously to The New Arab due to restrictions on public comments.
US President Donald Trump’s executive order last Friday classified USAGM—responsible for VOA and other international broadcasters—as an “unnecessary” government agency.
“No final decision has been made yet regarding closure,” a VOA Kurdish journalist told TNA. “All staff have been sent home, and we remain in limbo, awaiting further instructions.”
Although no VOA Kurdish staff directly filed lawsuits, the federal employees’ union and other groups have sued in a New York federal court, demanding the reinstatement of employees and the resumption of normal VOA operations.
Separately, six VOA journalists have sued a senior VOA advisor and the Trump administration, claiming the decision violates constitutional protections on free speech and press freedom.
Another journalist in Iraqi Kurdistan described the situation as unclear, noting: “There are rumours VOA Kurdish may reopen, but with drastically reduced resources.”
VOA Kurdish employs five journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan, four in northeast Syria, and four in Turkey.
The Kurdistan Journalists’ Syndicate’s Committee for the Protection of Press Freedom and Journalists’ Rights called on the US government on 20 March to reconsider its decision, emphasising VOA Kurdish’s importance and highlighting concerns over staff livelihoods.
Other regional broadcasters, including Alhurra, Alhurra Iraq, and Radio Sawa, have ceased operations following Trump‘s decision, significantly impacting regional media freedom.
In response, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), along with VOA staff and unions, have filed lawsuits against USAGM, senior advisor Kari Lake, and acting CEO Victor Morales, demanding an immediate reversal and reinstatement of employees.
Following the funding freeze, hundreds of journalists from VOA, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe, and other US-funded outlets were placed on leave, disrupting longstanding media platforms widely viewed as vital counterbalances to Russian and Chinese influence globally.
Voice of America, founded in 1942, is the oldest and largest US-funded international broadcaster, reaching millions weekly with broadcasts in nearly 50 languages, primarily targeting audiences in countries lacking media freedom and independent journalism.
