Musk requests closure of US state press

(MENAFN) Elon Musk, the head of the newly formed Department of government Efficiency (DOGE), called for the closure of US government-funded media outlets radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Voice of America (VOA), criticizing them for wasting taxpayer money and for being outdated. RFE/RL was created in 1950 to promote anti-Soviet propaganda, originally operated by the CIA, while VOA was established in the 1940s to counter Nazi propaganda. Both outlets remain under the control of the US government, with funding from congress through the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM).

Musk’s comments came in response to Richard Grenell, a former special envoy for President Donald Trump, who had also criticized these media outlets for their government funding and left-wing bias. Musk echoed this sentiment, stating that Europe is free now, and these outlets are irrelevant, wasting $1 billion of taxpayer money annually.

Both RFE/RL and VOA are under increasing scrutiny. RFE/RL was banned in Russia for spreading false information about the Ukraine conflict, while VOA and its subsidiary, Current Time, were blacklisted in Russia in 2024. Musk and Grenell share a strong opposition to taxpayer funding for media organizations, citing inefficiency and wastefulness. Musk is working to eliminate federal payments to outlets like Politico, the Associated Press, and the New York Times, arguing these are poor uses of public funds.

VOA’s 2024 budget is $267.5 million, while RFE/RL’s is $142.2 million. The USAGM has requested $950 million for 2025, claiming to reach 427 million people worldwide. Musk, appointed by Trump as a special government employee, leads DOGE, focusing on reducing government spending.

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