In the latest battle over the future of Voice of America, a fresh group of veteran Voice of America journalists are suing Trump administration official Kari Lake, alleging that she is promoting pro-Trump propaganda on air. They also contend she has trampled the network’s editorial independence in violation of federal law and First Amendment principles.
“The Voice of America has been breaching the Constitutional and statutory rules that require that outlet not to push propaganda or censorship,” one of the lead attorneys on the lawsuit, Norm Eisen, tells NPR. “In a time of crisis and conflict, like what we have right now in Iran, people count on the U.S. government broadcasts, and in particular, the Voice of America, to tell the truth.”
The U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees the network, put out an unsigned statement that it said came from “an agency official.”
“American taxpayers fund USAGM and Voice of America, and those funds by law must support broadcasting that reflects U.S. policy and the interests of the American people,” the statement read. “USAGM is responsible for oversight of its networks, including Voice of America, and for ensuring compliance with the VOA Charter, which requires authoritative, accurate journalism that is reflective of and clearly presents U.S. policies.”
Last March, Trump called the coverage on Voice of America anti-American propaganda in ordering the network cut back to its smallest legal size. Lake’s efforts to put that call into action have been challenged in prior lawsuits filed by VOA journalists and drawn rebukes from a federal judge overseeing them. The new lawsuit also names Michael Rigas, the U.S. State Department official who is the newly named acting CEO for the agency. He was named in the aftermath of the most recent rulings, which found Lake’s actions to be unlawful. Trump has nominated State Department official Sarah Rogers to take the job permanently, pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
The Voice of America was founded in the early days of the U.S. involvement in World War II to broadcast factual accounts of the fight against the Axis powers into Nazi-occupied nations. It included Allied setbacks and defeats, as well as its victories, to build credibility.
The network continued as a demonstration of soft power during the Cold War and beyond, broadcasting and streaming news into lands without a free press to offer unbiased journalism. It also served as a demonstration of a pluralistic society for audiences living under repressive regimes, incorporating debate and dissent and allowing journalists rather than politicians to set the news agenda.
Until last year, it reached more than 360 million people globally a week, according to official estimates.
