Donald Trump’s decision to reduce public support for journalistic organizations Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, which have historically covered authoritarian governments, has been praised by Chinese official media.
Thousands of workers are impacted by the decision; since Friday’s presidential order, about 1,300 employees at Voice of America (VOA) alone have been placed on paid leave.
Although Beijing’s state daily Global Times criticized VOA for its “appalling track record” in reporting on China and claimed that it has “now been discarded by its own government like a dirty rag,” critics have referred to the action as a defeat for democracy.
In support of the action, the White House claimed that it would “ensure that taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda.”
