Senior Adviser Kari Lake Calls US Global Media Agency ‘Rotten to Core,’ Seeks 2026 Dismantling

Kari Lake, senior adviser at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), testified before Congress describing the agency as "rotten to the core," citing rampant mismanagement, political bias, corruption, and security risks. Acting under a 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump, Lake has overseen significant cuts that have reduced the agency's workforce by 85% and drastically curtailed its programming, with plans to dismantle USAGM by 2026. Lake and several House Republicans alleged that USAGM had been infiltrated by hostile foreign actors, including spies, compromising the agency's mission to promote American values abroad. Despite opposition from Democrats who defended USAGM's role in supporting freedom and democracy internationally, Lake argued the agency wastes taxpayer money and promotes anti-American propaganda at times, including under influence from the Chinese Communist Party. Trump publicly supported Lake's efforts, calling Voice of America a "total, leftwing disaster" and urging Republicans to vote against USAGM's survival. The debate highlights deep partisan divisions over the future of government-funded international media and USAGM's oversight amid national security concerns.