The White House dwelled on Friday on its decision to terminate government funding for the Voice of America agency, criticizing the broadcaster and stating that taxpayers will no longer be “on the hook for radical propaganda”.
This was stated on the White House website, Ukrinform reports.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, citing quotes from various media outlets, stated that the broadcaster violated journalistic standards and tried to avoid responsibility.
In addition, several Voice of America journalists published comments against Trump on their professional accounts on the social network X, despite the social media’s policy of impartiality, the statement said.
The White House stated, among other things, that the Voice of America management ordered employees not to brand the Hamas group and its members terrorists, “except when quoting statements”; in October 2020, the broadcaster wrote about Russia’s possible role in the scandal involving a laptop of former U.S. President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, which the Trump administration considers to be “downplaying the validity” of the story; in March 2019, the Voice of America aired a report about transgender migrants seeking asylum in the United States.
As reported, the Voice of America employees were sent on paid leave – a day after Donald Trump signed an order to liquidate the broadcaster’s parent agency.
Also, employees of the VOA Ukrainian service, as well as the entire media outlet, were put on administrative leave, which is why it has also suspended broadcasting.
Source: White House explains reasons for halting VOA funding
