Trump Orders Cuts to 7 Agencies, Rolls Back 19 Orders

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to significantly reduce the scope of seven federal agencies, including the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America. The order seeks to eliminate non-statutory functions and minimize the statutory roles of these agencies, requiring agency heads to submit compliance plans within a week. This move is part of Trump's broader efforts to streamline government operations and follows previous tensions over editorial independence at USAGM. The order also aligns with initiatives led by figures like Elon Musk to cut government programs and staff. Critics argue these cuts could undermine essential services related to international media and community support, raising legal questions since some agencies are congressionally chartered. Additionally, Trump announced the rollback of 19 executive orders from the Biden era, targeting policies related to labor and environmental initiatives.