Voice of America aired Trump's message to Iranian people during US bombings
Kari Lake, Trump's handpicked choice to oversee the US Agency for Global Media, told the House foreign affairs committee that VOA crews worked on Saturday to deliver Trump's message as bombing operations were under way.
'I'm very proud to say that when President Trump, when the bombings happened over the weekend, on Saturday, when President Trump started to speak, we had a crew in on Saturday delivering President Trump's message to the people of Iran in Farsi,' Lake testified.
While VOA has historically served US interests globally, the comments from Lake, a former longtime television anchor who unsuccessfully ran as the Trump-endorsed Republican candidate for Arizona's governorship then its Senate seat, suggest a more immediate, personal form of presidential communication than the service's traditional role of providing broader US policy context and news.
Lake's testimony also came just days after the White House authorized the termination of 639 employees at VOA on Friday. The layoffs represent the final phase of Trump's assault on the broadcasting service, which has eliminated 1,400 positions since March and reduced the agency to just 250 employees across the entire US Agency for Global Media.
VOA, founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda, reportedly reached 360 million people weekly across dozens of languages as a major part of the US cold war broadcasting strategy to push American-centric ideas to populations under authoritarian rule.
During Wednesday's hearing, Lake argued that Trump wants to completely eliminate VOA as an independent agency, claiming it 'does not know how to manage' and is disrespectful to American taxpayers.
'They shouldn't believe it. And I think this is why President Trump wants to eliminate the agency. The agency itself is not needed,' Lake said when asked why Congress should trust VOA.
Lake made unsubstantiated claims that the agency had allowed 'dangerous people into our country' through allegedly improper security screenings of 1,500 employees, telling the House foreign affairs committee that intelligence officials had warned the agency was 'freelancing on your security screenings'.
Sign up to This Week in Trumpland
A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration
after newsletter promotion
She suggested folding VOA's remaining functions back into the state department, where it operated in the 1940s and early 1950s during what she called its 'glory days' when there were 'guardrails on what the story of America was being told' and it wasn't 'anti-American'.
The agency's demolition began in March when Trump signed an executive order targeting federal agencies he branded as bloated bureaucracy. In March, the White House issued a statement calling VOA 'propaganda' and 'leftist' and dubbed it 'the Voice of Radical America'.
Three VOA journalists leading legal challenges against its near-shuttering said the cuts 'spell the death of 83 years of independent journalism that upholds US ideals of democracy and freedom around the world'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Trump ally Jeff Bezos eyes liberal network in potential bombshell deal that could transform cable news
Jeff Bezos is considering purchasing cable network CNBC when it splits with its parent company later this year, according to a new report. The deal could transform cable news as the world's fourth richest man continues to cozy up to President Donald Trump. Bezos already owns left-leaning The Washington Post a nd is the founder of Amazon, but according to the New York Post, he believes CNBC could be a good 'neutral voice' to add to his empire. The business and financial news channel would 'align well with his interests,' a source closes to Bezos told the publication. Trump often took issue with Bezos over his ownership of The Washington Post during his first term, but the relationship has softened in the second Trump administration. Bezos joined a host of tech CEOs on stage with Trump at his inauguration and last week enjoyed an hour-long private meeting with the president at the White House. Comcast is planning to split off its cable assets, which includes CNBC, MSNBC, USA Network and E!, by the end of the year. CNBC will be folded into publicly traded company Versant, led by Chief Executive Mark Lazarus and a team of NBCUniversal executives. But sources close to Comcast and Versant have cast doubt over whispers of Bezos' interest in purchasing the network. One source said Bezos has not approached executives regarding his supposed interest. Another said Versant has big plans to grow CNBC, and is not interested in selling the asset. The publication stated Versant has a two year window in which it cannot sell major assets - including CNBC - without major tax implications. It is unlikely the company would be willing to jeopardize the tax-free status of the spinoff, no matter how much Bezos would be willing to pay, one source said. Bezos is the fourth richest person in the world, with a net worth of around $241billion, according to Forbes. He recently married Lauren Sanchez in an elaborate, celebrity-filled celebration in Italy, sparking fury among locals. Their $50million wedding had a star-studded guest list with many A-listers such as Oprah Winfrey, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, Kim Kardashian and Leonardo DiCaprio in attendance. The happy couple got married in a restored amphitheater on the island, as Sánchez wore a high-neck, long sleeve lace Dolce & Gabbana gown that took over 900 hours to make, per Vogue. The gown featured a flared skirt, long veil, and a tight-fitting waist, with tons of buttons going up the middle. 'Very Lauren. Sexy, happy, not too serious, not too drama. Elegant but at the same time sensual,' Domenico Dolce told the outlet about the bride's dress. The pair were seen having a romantic date night in St Tropez, France, on Wednesday.
NBC News
an hour ago
- NBC News
House Oversight Committee to subpoena DOJ for Epstein files
The House Oversight Committee will subpoena the Justice Department to release files tied to the case of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein after a subcommittee voted on the matter Wednesday, according to a committee spokesperson. The subpoena 'will be issued in the future,' the spokesperson said, without providing additional details on the timing. The forthcoming subpoena follows a group of Republicans in the Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee joining Democrats in an 8-2 vote to approve a motion by Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., to compel the DOJ to release files tied to Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in prison in 2019. The subpoena would request the redaction of names of victims and any personally identifying information. The materials would be reviewed internally by the committee and would not be for public release. Subcommittee Chairman Clay Higgins, R-La., and Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., were the only no votes. Republican Reps. Nancy Mace, S.C., Scott Perry, Pa., and Brian Jack, Ga., voted with Democrats to approve the motion. Subpoenas will also be issued to former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former FBI directors James Comey and Robert Mueller, and former attorneys general Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, Merrick Garland, William Barr, Jeff Sessions, and Alberto Gonzales as part of an investigation into Epstein's co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, following a motion from Perry. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence following her conviction on federal sex trafficking charges in 2021. Earlier on Wednesday, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., subpoenaed Maxwell for a deposition at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida, on Aug. 11, citing "immense public interest and scrutiny." Trump and his Republican allies have sought to blame Democrats and distract from the firestorm surrounding Epstein, even though Trump's supporters promoted conspiracy theories tied to Epstein's death in prison for many years. On the campaign trail, Trump said he would have 'no problem' looking into a list of Epstein's clients if he were elected. But recently he has downplayed the issue, saying he doesn't want the support of those pushing the Epstein 'bulls---.' The Justice Department said in a memo this month that a review of the case files had not turned up a client list and that there was 'no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions." Many of Trump's supporters have disregarded Trump's calls to move on from the records, prompting the president to direct Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of the files last week. The Justice Department has a pending request to unseal grand jury transcripts in the Southern District of New York, where Epstein was indicted.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Trump's birthright citizenship order is unconstitutional, appeals court rules
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. Your support makes all the difference.
