RFA at Risk of Closure After Losing Federal Funding

Federal grants that funded Radio Free Asia (RFA) and its partner networks were terminated on the morning of March 15.

Federal grants that funded Radio Free Asia (RFA) and its partner networks were terminated on the morning of March 15. Illustrative photo.

Federal grants that funded Radio Free Asia (RFA) and its partner networks were terminated on the morning of March 15, according to a termination notice received by RFA.

An executive order issued by US President Donald Trump on the evening of March 14 calls for cutting off non-statutory components of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the federal agency that funds RFA and several other independent news organizations around the world.

The US Congress allocates funds to USAGM, which then provides funding to sponsored news organizations.

The brief order calls for the elimination of USAGM “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law” along with six other unrelated government agencies, including organizations in museums, homelessness, minority business development and other areas.

A letter sent to the RFA President on March 15 and signed by USAGM special counsel Kari Lake, with the title “Senior Advisor to the Acting Executive Director with Delegated Authority,” stated that RFA’s federal funding had been terminated and the organization was obligated to “immediately repay any uncommitted funds.”

It is unclear how and when RFA's operations will cease, but RFA is entirely dependent on federal funding.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/rfa-co-nguy-co-dong-cua-khi-mat-tai-tro-lien-bang-378549.html