The executive order specifically targets agencies including the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and the Minority Business Development Agency. The order instructs these entities to reduce their operations to the minimum required by law.
In response to the funding termination, MBN staff have continued broadcasting and are reportedly considering legal action to challenge the presidential directive. Similarly, RFE/RL has initiated legal proceedings against the grant termination, asserting that the executive order violates statutory protections and undermines the independence of U.S.-funded media outlets.
The Department of Government Efficiency , led by Elon Musk, imposed a 30-day total freeze on funding to USAGM outlets in March, with the intention of making the cuts permanent. This move aligns with the administration's broader efforts to downsize the federal workforce and eliminate agencies deemed non-essential.
Critics argue that these actions weaken U.S. influence abroad and bolster adversarial narratives. They contend that the affected media outlets play a crucial role in promoting democratic values and providing unbiased news in regions where press freedom is limited. Conversely, the administration justifies the cuts as necessary measures to reduce government spending and eliminate taxpayer-funded programs it considers propagandistic.
In the wake of the executive order, over 1,300 Voice of America employees were placed on leave, and the agency began terminating contracts with major news services, including the Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse. Kari Lake, a special advisor to USAGM appointed by President Trump, estimated that ending these contracts would result in savings of approximately $53 million.
The broader implications of these cuts extend to other federal agencies. For instance, the U.S. Energy Department identified over 8,500 positions as non-essential and potentially subject to elimination under the same executive order. Among these, approximately 500 positions within the National Nuclear Security Administration were highlighted, raising concerns about national security and energy policy impacts.
A U.S. appeals court recently ruled in favor of the Trump administration, allowing 18 federal agencies to proceed with the termination of thousands of probationary federal workers. This decision aligns with the administration's directive to cut non-essential staff as part of its initiative to downsize the federal workforce and reduce spending.
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