Latest news with #USAGM-supported
The Hill
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Dem Senators urge Rubio to protect Voice of America foreign-based reporters
A pair of Senate Democrats are urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to secure the release of journalists detained while reporting overseas on behalf of taxpayer-funded media outlets like Voice of America. Citing President Trump's recent executive order scaling back funding and operations for VOA, Radio Free Europe and other government-funded media operations, the Democratic senators wrote to Rubio they are 'concerned that jailed journalists affiliated with these networks risk being left behind.' The lawmakers, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), wrote to Rubio that they are aware of at least five USAGM-supported employees remaining jailed in Vietnam, two in Russia, one in Belarus, one in Azerbaijan, and two in Myanmar. 'We request that you with regularity use the voice of the United States to raise concern about their cases, and direct relevant regional bureaus, the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, (DRL), Consular Affairs (CA) and the Office of the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs (SPEHA) to engage on their behalf where appropriate,' the lawmakers wrote. 'We also request that you provide a plan to secure these journalists' release following grant terminations for USAGM networks and its entities.' The letter comes just weeks after Trump's administration announced plans to severely scale back the work of VOA, while its senior advisor Kari Lake has signaled plans to reimage the English-language news service as one that promotes America abroad.
Axios
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Democrats urge Rubio, Noem to protect USAGM foreign journalists
Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday penned letters to State Secretary Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urging them to protect and prioritize the safety of journalists affiliated with U.S. government-funded international broadcasters, according to copies of the letters obtained by Axios. Why it matters: The Trump administration is currently entangled in several messy legal battles over its efforts to dismantle broadcasters under the United States Agency for Global Media. USAGM outlets fighting back include Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Lawmakers are concerned that journalists affiliated with those outlets facing safety issues in their home countries will languish amid the legal drama. State of play:"If U.S.-based USAGM affiliated personnel's employment were to be terminated, the basis for their presence in the United States would be jeopardized — in many cases forcing them to return to authoritarian countries where they are at risk of being interrogated, jailed, or persecuted," Shaheen and Van Hollen write in their joint letter to Noem. "USAGM affiliated personnel based outside of the U.S. could also be placed in jeopardy of a forced return to their authoritarian homelands by their current countries of domicile were their employment to be terminated." They ask that Noem provide a briefing to their staffs on the issue "no later than June 6." The State Department and Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Zoom out: USAGM broadcasters rely on Congressionally approved funding to bring non-partisan news coverage to developing and autocratic countries around the world, including countries that face imminent risk of backsliding from democracy. Their work is often considered dangerous, especially in places with limited protections for journalists and free speech. Around the world, there are at least 11 USAGM-supported employees jailed in places like Vietnam, Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Myanmar. In their joint letter to Rubio, Sens. Shaheen and Van Hollen request that the secretary raise concern about their cases and direct relevant regional bureaus to engage on their behalf where appropriate. They are also requesting that he provide a plan to secure these journalists' release following grant terminations for USAGM networks and its entities. The big picture: For decades, support for government-funded international broadcasters was bipartisan. But in recent years, Republicans in Congress have shown less support for saving those agencies. The first Trump administration tried to target USAGM on a smaller scale, but largely faced legal setbacks. In the second Trump administration, those efforts have ramped up significantly. The Trump administration ordered the firings of hundreds of workers at USAGM broadcasters earlier this year. Those outlets and some of their employees have subsequently sued the administration, with mixed results. What to watch: While the administration faced early legal setbacks, broadcasters have since faced challenges.
