The Shutdown of Voice of America and the Legacy of Its Amharic Service
1
0
Executive Order Silences a Cold War Icon
On March 16, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order effectively dismantling the 83-year-old Voice of America (VOA), a U.S.-funded international broadcaster established during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda. The order targeted VOA’s parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), mandating reductions to “the minimum presence and function required by law” . Nearly 1,300 employees were placed on administrative leave, grants to affiliates like Radio Free Europe were terminated, and critics decried the move as a blow to global press freedom and U.S. soft power .
The Trump administration justified the shutdown by accusing VOA of promoting “radical propaganda” and misusing taxpayer funds, claims amplified by allies like Elon Musk and Trump-appointed USAGM adviser Kari Lake . Yet, behind this politically charged decision lies a deeper controversy: allegations that VOA’s Amharic service, launched in 1982, became a platform for the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (EPRP), a Marxist-Leninist paramilitary group opposed to Ethiopia’s ruling regimes.
The Amharic Service: A History of Partisan Allegations
The VOA Amharic service was created during the Cold War to counter Soviet influence in Ethiopia under Mengistu Haile Mariam’s Derg regime. However, internal documents and whistleblower accounts reveal that the service became entangled in Ethiopia’s fractious politics.
EPRP Infiltration and Anti-Government Bias
Former VOA Horn of Africa Service Chief Annette Scheckler disclosed that the Amharic service was “captured and held hostage by an Ethiopian opposition with a narrow partisan agenda” . During the 1980s and 1990s, its leadership included former EPRP members, a group branded as terrorists by Ethiopia’s government. Critics allege these figures skewed coverage to undermine the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF)-led Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which ruled from 1991 to 2018 . A 2009 investigative piece by Scheckler detailed how the service amplified anti-EPRDF narratives, even as U.S. diplomats and ambassadors raised concerns about its lack of objectivity. One former EPRP member, using the pseudonym “Anberbir,” allegedly oversaw programming that vilified the TPLF and Eritrean independence movements .
Ethiopian Government Backlash
Ethiopia’s current Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, inherited a nation fractured by ethnic federalism and insurgencies. While Abiy’s Prosperity Party has distanced itself from the EPRDF’s policies, VOA’s Amharic service continued to face accusations of fueling dissent. In 2020, an Ethiopian human rights activist recounted how VOA Amharic historically served as a “morale booster” for anti-TPLF factions, exacerbating tensions that persist today . Under Abiy’s government, which has faced armed rebellions in Amhara and Oromia regions, independent media remains tightly controlled. While VOA Amharic’s role under Abiy is less explicit, its legacy as a perceived opposition mouthpiece likely contributed to its vulnerability amid Trump’s crackdown on “anti-U.S.” narratives .
Why Target VOA Now?
The Trump administration’s move aligns with its “America First” ethos, prioritizing domestic spending over international outreach. However, geopolitical motivations are evident:
Undermining Counter-Propaganda: Adversaries like China and Russia celebrated VOA’s demise, with Chinese state media labeling it a “dirty rag” .
Consolidating Control: By appointing loyalists like Kari Lake to USAGM, Trump sought to reshape remaining operations to reflect his political agenda .
Historical Grievances: Trump long criticized VOA for perceived liberal bias, echoing conservative media’s attacks on its coverage of his presidency .
The Future of VOA and Global Media
The shutdown leaves a void in regions reliant on VOA’s reporting, such as Ethiopia, where state-controlled media dominates. While the Czech Republic and EU nations have proposed funding Radio Free Europe , VOA’s absence may embolden authoritarian narratives.
For Ethiopia, the loss of VOA Amharic removes a decades-old channel for diaspora engagement and critical discourse. Yet, its controversial history underscores the risks of state-funded media becoming a tool for partisan agendas—a cautionary tale as the U.S. reevaluates its global media strategy.
The silencing of VOA marks a pivotal shift in U.S. foreign policy, trading diplomatic influence for domestic political gains. Its Amharic service’s fraught legacy—as both a beacon of free speech and a vehicle for ideological warfare—reflects the complex interplay of media, power, and propaganda. As Ethiopia grapples with internal strife and the U.S. retreats from its role as a global storyteller, the world watches to see who will fill the silence.
