2 March 2026

Trump Officials Seek to Break Editorial ‘Firewall’ at U.S.-Funded News Agencies

Minho Kim

The Trump administration is seeking to limit the safeguards protecting the editorial freedom of federally funded news groups that broadcast overseas, raising concerns that it could undermine an independent source of news in parts of the world with few of them.

Two of the organizations that President Trump tried but failed to shutter, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Middle East Broadcasting Networks, earlier this month received a draft funding agreement that could give Mr. Trump’s political appointees more control over their operations.

The administration could have the power to veto their new hires for editors in chief, chief executives and members of their boards, and could unilaterally shut down parts of their news operations with a two-week notice, according to a draft of the proposal reviewed by The New York Times and two people familiar with the matter.

The proposed agreement is the latest attempt by the Trump administration to severely shrink and influence the news content of media groups that receive federal dollars.

No comments: