Trump's order dismantles the agency that manages Radio and TV Martí: "It has no salvation."

The administration of Donald Trump initiated a massive cutback in operations at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the entity that oversees Radio and TV Martí, as well as Voice of America and other media funded by the U.S. government.

The measure responds to the executive order signed by Trump on March 14, 2025, titled “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” which aims to drastically reduce the structure of government agencies.

In compliance with this directive, the USAGM began to eliminate non-statutory components and functions, reducing its staff to the minimum required by law. As a result, a significant portion of the staff, including their affiliates, was placed on paid administrative leave as of last Saturday, until further notice. The operations of Radio and TV Martí, as well as other media outlets, have been suspended since this Saturday, following the announcement of Trump's order.

Kari Lake, a senior advisor to the USAGM appointed by Trump, emphasized that the agency was plagued by waste, fraud, and abuse, calling it "irreparable" and assuring that the restructuring is a victory for American taxpayers.

"While I am at USAGM, I am committed to fully implementing President Trump's executive orders in his mission to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. Today we continue that process, aligning our operations with what the law requires," said the advisor.

"The U.S. Agency for Global Media will continue to implement only the statutory programs that fall under its mandate and will eliminate everything that is not covered by law," she emphasized.

He also emphasized: "I fully support the president's executive order. Waste, fraud, and abuse are rampant in this agency, and American taxpayers should not have to fund it."

Just over a week ago, the government efficiency team led by Elon Musk, known as DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), sparked significant controversy by including the lease agreement for the headquarters of Radio and TV Martí in Miami among the agreements supposedly "terminated".

The cancellation of the lease agreement for the Jorge Mas Canosa building, home to Radio y TV Martí, would result in savings of $5.32 million, the DOGE portal specified at that time.

Below, we reproduce in full the statement published this Saturday by the U.S. Agency for Global Media (US Agency for Global Media - USAGM).

Today, in compliance with the Executive Order from President Trump titled "Continuing the Reduction of Federal Bureaucracy," dated March 14, 2025, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) initiated measures to eliminate as many non-statutory components and functions as possible within the framework of applicable law. USAGM and the media it oversees will be reduced to their statutory functions, and the associated staff will be minimized to the level required by law.

This action will impact the agency's workforce, including USAGM, Voice of America, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB), and all its subsidiaries. Most of the affected staff will be placed on administrative leave with pay starting Saturday, March 15, 2025, and will remain in that status until further notice.

"While I am at USAGM, I am committed to fully implementing President Trump's executive orders in his mission to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. Today we continue that process, aligning our operations with what the law requires," stated Kari Lake, senior advisor at USAGM.

"The U.S. Agency for Global Media will continue to carry out only the statutory programs that fall under its mandate and will eliminate everything not covered by the law. I fully support the president's executive order. Waste, fraud, and abuse run rampant in this agency, and U.S. taxpayers should not have to finance it."

Some of the most serious irregularities detected:

Massive violations of national security, with spies and supporters of terrorists infiltrating the agency.

Self-benefit and corruption in the awarding of contracts, subsidies, and multimillion-dollar settlement agreements.

Excessive expenses, including a lease contract for nearly a quarter of a billion dollars for a skyscraper on Pennsylvania Avenue, with no transmission facilities to meet the agency's needs, which also included a $9 million commission to a real estate agent with political connections.

Hundreds of millions of dollars spent on fake news companies, whose content mirrors the narratives of the adversaries of the U.S.

"This agency is doomed."

From top to bottom, USAGM is a rotten system, a burden on taxpayers, a risk to national security, and it is irreparably broken. While there are exceptions with talented and dedicated employees, they are the minority in an environment dominated by incompetence and corruption.

It is regrettable that pressure groups, leftist activists, and internal officials have fortified the agency against any type of reform, ensuring that it would be "Trump-proof," which actually meant making it immune to accountability to the American people.

All of this, while squandering taxpayer money to create false narratives, amplified by allied media such as The Washington Post, NPR, and others, with clear conflicts of interest, to cover up their corruption.

"This is a significant step towards restoring the greatness of the United States and promoting freedom and democracy," added Kari Lake.

"From now on, accountability will be the standard and not the exception. I appreciate the work of the true public servants who have contributed to the agency, and I look forward to advancing the modernization of our mission to tell the story of the United States to the world in a meaningful, impactful, and effective way."

Frequently Asked Questions about the Dismantling of the U.S. Agency for Global Media