On March 14, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to defund Voice of America, a U.S. government-backed international broadcast outlet that for decades has provided news to worldwide audiences in dozens of languages—often serving as the only media available to millions around the globe.
The administration’s order to slash VOA is part of Trump’s and top advisor Elon Musk’s broader effort to dismantle the federal government, and immediately impacted more than 1,300 broadcast employees who were placed on leave around the globe.
For international students at Diablo Valley College who were familiar with the channel, the news came as a shock.
Aaron Maluleke, a South African student here majoring in journalism, said he doesn’t agree with the government’s effort to eradicate VOA “because of the influence it has had over the years.”
“Like any other media outlet, it should be granted freedom to do their work without anyone putting restrictions or limitations on their ground of operations,” Maluleke said. “I think this is a move that’s not fair and turns its back on the efforts and work done by VOA.”
The Trump administration justified its action by calling into question the broadcaster’s independence, accusing it of interfering in politics. But according to Maluleke, the charge isn’t accurate.
“The purpose of its broadcast is to promote freedom, democracy, and human rights by offering reliable news and fostering a better understanding of American values,” Maluleke added.
“I don’t think that the federal government is better off without VOA because, for the longest time, VOA has given information about what’s going on around the world.”
The broadcast agency has been running for more than eight decades, dating back to 1942. Critics of Trump’s move said dismantling VOA will not only affect those who rely on the channel to receive their news, but also international media working in places where freedom of the press isn’t a given.
VOA was offered in at least 48 languages on affiliate stations around the world. In addition, many foreign people living in diaspora in the U.S. and Canada have relied on the channel for news about their home countries.
Another international student at DVC, Lynx Xu, from China, said, “Dismantling VOA, in my opinion, is like telling people to stay closed-minded.”
“The government should think about people’s free will, and the liberty of people’s rights in the [U.S.] Constitution,” she added.
The threat of eliminating VOA and further disconnecting Americans from the world isn’t an international problem alone.
According to Cherise Lopez, a DVC peer advisor who works in the transfer center, “It is not in the best interest of the American people [to shutter VOA], since it is one of the very first broadcasts of the modern era.”
“This crucial move of not having VOA raises the questions of what it is promoting. Personally I would advocate for [keeping] it,” Lopez said. “It is very empowering to speak out about issues around the world that are crucial in different regions and globally,” she added.
“People will start to face the consequences and negative impacts, and still voice their opinions. I believe this will play a concerning role in Trump’s oligarchy plan and dictatorship one day, and VOA will reverse and will be able to reclaim [its place].”
For the South African student Maluleke, the news of VOA’s gutting made him question his time abroad in the United States.
“Honestly, I am not enjoying my stay here as much as I thought I would when I came here,” he said. “I feel like things can go south for me at any time of the day.”