{"id":62065,"date":"2025-02-14T06:58:58","date_gmt":"2025-02-14T10:58:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=62065"},"modified":"2025-02-14T08:21:06","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T12:21:06","slug":"doge-targeting-voa-and-radio-free-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/02\/doge-targeting-voa-and-radio-free-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"“DOGE Targeting VOA And Radio Free Europe”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

DOGE Targeting VOA And Radio Free Europe. (Inside Radio)<\/a><\/h1>\n

Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty (RFE\/RL) are in the sights of Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur appointed by President Donald Trump to oversee the House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE).<\/p>\n

Musk commented on a social media post by Richard Grenell, the U.S. Special Envoy for Special Missions, who said the radio networks are \u201cstate-owned media\u201d and \u201care a relic of the past.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, shut them down,\u201d Musk wrote in his reply to the post. \u201cEurope is free now (not counting stifling bureaucracy). Nobody listens to them anymore. It\u2019s just radical left crazy people talking to themselves while torching $1B\/year of US taxpayer money.” [Continue reading…<\/a>]<\/p>\n

Update: SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, Jock Elliott notes that he wrote the following message and sent it via the Whitehouse contact page<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr. President;<\/p>\n

First, I am not, and never have been, employed by Voice of America or Radio Free Europe.<\/p>\n

But you might want to think twice before you shut them down.<\/p>\n

If the electronic networks such as internet and mobile phones are ever shut down, you might want a means of communicating with the populations overseas; you might want to factor that into your decision-making process.<\/p>\n

Radio can be an essential resource when the crunch comes, as was demonstrated recently in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee: https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/11\/a-shining-moment-for-ham-radio\/<\/a><\/p>\n

You might want to keep international broadcasting — with appropriate messaging — as “another club in your bag.”<\/p>\n

Sincerely, Jock Elliott<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DOGE Targeting VOA And Radio Free Europe. (Inside Radio) Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty (RFE\/RL) are in the sights of Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur appointed by President Donald Trump to oversee the House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk commented on a social media post by Richard Grenell, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[960,3,43],"tags":[1160,1094,10,182],"class_list":["post-62065","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international-broadcasting","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-radio-free-europe","tag-rfe","tag-voa","tag-voice-of-america"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-g93","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":63820,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/08\/u-s-global-media-agency-to-lay-off-hundreds-at-voa-rfa-and-rfe-rl\/","url_meta":{"origin":62065,"position":0},"title":"U.S. Global Media Agency to Lay Off Hundreds at VOA, RFA, and RFE\/RL","author":"Thomas","date":"August 31, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Guardian is reporting that more than 500 full-time employees at Voice of America and other U.S. government-funded broadcasters will soon be laid off. The U.S. Agency for Global Media announced that 532 federal positions are being cut, part of a larger restructuring effort that\u2019s already stirred up legal challenges\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10081,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/06\/sweeping-cuts-to-voa-rfe-and-rfa-shortwave-services\/","url_meta":{"origin":62065,"position":1},"title":"Sweeping cuts to VOA, RFE and RFA shortwave services","author":"Thomas","date":"June 27, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Unfortunate news from the Voice of America: Congress has approved major\u00a0cuts to US international broadcasting over shortwave. Thanks to Dan Robinson for sharing this significant\u00a0news. Dan writes: This news emerging from VOA late Friday: VOA to end shortwave broadcasts in English and several language services Monday. Received this late Friday\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Voice_of_America_Headquarters","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Voice_of_America_Headquarters.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Voice_of_America_Headquarters.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Voice_of_America_Headquarters.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Voice_of_America_Headquarters.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54882,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/12\/radio-waves-83-years-of-abc-broadcasting-am-to-new-zealand-northland-and-taliban-blocks-rfe-voa-radio-liberty\/","url_meta":{"origin":62065,"position":2},"title":"Radio Waves: 83 years of ABC Broadcasting, AM to New Zealand Northland, and Taliban blocks RFE\/VOA\/Radio Liberty","author":"Thomas","date":"December 3, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Radio Waves:\u00a0 Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Welcome to the\u00a0SWLing Post\u2019s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio.\u00a0Enjoy! ABC Radio Australia's 83 years of broadcasting to the world (ABC) This is the story of one of the ABC's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-50-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-50-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-50-of-170.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-50-of-170.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":62468,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/03\/judge-sides-with-voa-journalists-in-legal-challenge\/","url_meta":{"origin":62065,"position":3},"title":"Judge Sides with VOA Journalists in Legal Challenge","author":"Thomas","date":"March 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking efforts by the Trump administration to shut down Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S.-funded international broadcasters. The judge determined that the administration\u2019s actions may have exceeded its authority, as the broadcasters were established by Congress. The court decision follows\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-44-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-44-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-44-of-170.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-44-of-170.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42904,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/04\/radio-waves-tribute-to-gene-pell-dangerous-am-demonstration-white-house-criticism-of-voa-and-essex-online-classes-break-records\/","url_meta":{"origin":62065,"position":4},"title":"Radio Waves: Tribute to Gene Pell, Dangerous AM Demonstration, White House Criticism of VOA, and Essex Online Classes Break Records","author":"Thomas","date":"April 19, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Radio Waves:\u00a0 Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Because I keep my ear to the waves, as well as receive many tips from others who do the same, I find myself privy to radio-related stories that might interest\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0readers.\u00a0 To that end:\u00a0Welcome to the\u00a0SWLing Post\u2019s Radio Waves, a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/AM-Tower-Blue-WHKY-1024x658.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/AM-Tower-Blue-WHKY-1024x658.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/AM-Tower-Blue-WHKY-1024x658.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":27380,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/07\/editorial-doesnt-mention-rfe-and-voa-audio-broadcasts\/","url_meta":{"origin":62065,"position":5},"title":"Editorial doesn’t mention RFE and VOA audio broadcasts","author":"Thomas","date":"July 31, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ed, who writes: The Washington Post's Editorial Board put out this opinion piece this weekend entitled, \"Russian propaganda has flooded U.S. airwaves. How about some reciprocity?\" I wrote to them at and asked why they didn't mention the U.S. Government's considerable state media\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Grace-Digital-Mondo-Front-Panel-1-1024x678.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Grace-Digital-Mondo-Front-Panel-1-1024x678.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Grace-Digital-Mondo-Front-Panel-1-1024x678.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62065"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62065\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62068,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62065\/revisions\/62068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}