Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump bans CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from White House — President Trump announced via Truth Social that he is immediately banning CNN, MS Now (MSNBC), and Politico from the White House, citing their coverage as "fake news." At an Oval Office event, Trump defended the ban, stating he does not believe courts should allow "fake news" to be written. He suggested additional media outlets could face similar bans. CNN, Politico, and the White House Correspondents' Association condemned the action as unconstitutional, while legal experts noted the White House press pool is a public forum under the First Amendment.
• Trump bans CNN, MSNOW, and Politico from White House — Trump announced an immediate ban of CNN, MSNOW (formerly MSNBC), and Politico from White House access, citing their reporting as "fake news." Trump alleged that Politico received an "$8 Million Dollar subscription" from the U.S. government under the Biden administration and characterized this as corruption. He stated that other "Fake News Media Outlets" would follow. Trump framed the ban as a response to outlets' coverage of the presidency and administration.
• Trump defends White House media ban citing First Amendment question — When asked how he justifies banning CNN, Politico, and MSNOW from the White House given that every president takes an oath to uphold the Constitution, including the First Amendment, Trump responded: "Because they're fake news." Trump did not address the constitutional question raised.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration terminates 639 employees at Voice of America — The Trump administration announced the termination of 639 employees at Voice of America (VOA) and its parent organization, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). This move is part of a broader effort that has eliminated 1,400 positions since March, significantly reducing the international broadcasting service. The cuts are seen as a near-complete dismantling of an organization that once reached 360 million people weekly. The administration justified the terminations by labeling the agency as dysfunctional and biased. Legal challenges against the terminations are ongoing.
• Trump Administration Issues Layoff Notices at VOA — The Trump administration issued layoff notices to over 600 employees at Voice of America, with terminations expected by September. The layoffs significantly reduce the organization's staff and impact its operations.

Supporting reports

• Executive Order Shuts Down VoA Operations — An executive order signed by Donald Trump in mid-March has effectively shut down Voice of America (VoA) operations, taking them off the air and offline. This order has resulted in approximately 1,300 VoA employees being placed on leave. The order is part of a broader effort to dismantle the agency overseeing VoA, which has historically been a pro-democracy voice. A federal judge blocked the order to shutter VoA, but the ruling is currently under government appeal.
• Trump Administration's Executive Order Shuts Down Voice of America — In March, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), effectively shutting down Voice of America (VoA) and placing 1,300 employees on administrative leave. The order also canceled federal grants for sister outlets like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia. This move has been criticized as a crackdown on press freedom, with VoA's broadcasts going dark for the first time since World War II. A federal judge temporarily blocked the dismantling, but the situation remains unresolved as legal challenges continue.

Supporting reports

• Trump signs executive order to cut funding for public broadcasters — Former President Donald Trump issued an executive order blocking National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) from receiving taxpayer funds through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The White House justified the move by stating that the current media landscape offers numerous news options, rendering government-funded media outdated and potentially harmful to journalistic independence. This decision could significantly impact smaller stations, particularly in rural areas, which rely heavily on federal funding.
• Trump Administration Signs Executive Order to Cut Funding for NPR and PBS — In late April, the Trump administration signed an executive order to slash federal funding for NPR and PBS, accusing them of spreading "radical woke propaganda." This move is part of a broader effort to downsize the federal government and eliminate what the administration describes as frivolous expenditures. The decision has sparked concerns about the impact on public broadcasting and its role in providing independent news and educational content.

Supporting reports

• Trump signed order eliminating USAGM — President Donald Trump signed an order eliminating the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company of Voice of America (VoA), along with six other federal agencies. This action led to government-employed journalists at VoA being placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits. The decision was not for disciplinary purposes but followed the termination of contracts with major news agencies like the Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse. The move is part of broader efforts by the Trump administration to control media narratives and reduce reliance on external news sources.
• Voice of America employees put on administrative leave — Government-employed journalists at Voice of America (VoA) were placed on administrative leave following President Trump's order to eliminate the US Agency for Global Media, VoA's parent company. This move comes after VoA's parent company terminated contracts with major news agencies and instructed journalists to stop using wire service materials. The administrative leave is not for disciplinary purposes but reflects significant changes in the agency's operations.
• Trump administration shuts down Voice of America — The Trump administration ordered the shutdown of Voice of America (VOA), resulting in over 1,000 employees being locked out of their building and placed on administrative leave. The closure affects VOA's ability to broadcast news and information globally. Kari Lake, nominated to take over VOA, canceled contracts with affiliated networks, raising legal questions and potential lawsuits.
• Trump ordered gutting of pro-democracy media outlets — Trump took executive action ordering the gutting of the agency overseeing Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), and Radio Free Asia (RFA). More than 1,300 VOA employees were placed on leave, and funding for RFE/RL and RFA was terminated.

Supporting reports

• Trump signed executive order dismantling Voice of America and USAGM — In late March 2025, President Trump signed a late-night executive order aimed at dismantling the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and its flagship international broadcaster, Voice of America. The order directed USAGM to cancel federal grants supporting VoA's sister outlets—Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. VoA's broadcast went dark for the first time since its founding in World War II, with approximately 1,300 employees placed on administrative leave. A federal judge blocked the dismantling in April, but subsequent court orders have kept VoA staff sidelined while litigation continues.
• Voice of America representatives sue Trump administration over shutdown attempt — In March 2025, representatives for Voice of America sued the administration, arguing that the shutdown violated their freedom of speech.
• Trump administration dismantled U.S. Agency for Global Media programming — The Trump administration dismantled most of the U.S. Agency for Global Media in March 2025, eliminating billions of dollars in foreign aid and influence programs. The action resulted in the removal of Voice of America content from Indonesian news channels that previously featured both U.S. government-backed and Chinese state media reports. Kari Lake, the official overseeing the retrenchment, accused the agency of misusing funds. The elimination affected decades of U.S. foreign-policy efforts and soft-power initiatives.