Brussels: European leaders have expressed concern over the future of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) after U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration terminated its funding. The Prague-based news outlet, originally established during the Cold War to provide independent journalism to people living under oppressive regimes, now faces an uncertain future.
On Monday, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský urged EU ministers in Brussels to explore potential solutions to keep RFE/RL operational, emphasizing its role in providing vital news coverage to countries where free media is either banned or still developing.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described Radio Free Europe as “a beacon of democracy” and criticized the U.S. decision to cut funding. She acknowledged that while EU ministers were willing to discuss support measures, replacing American funding would not be a straightforward task.
EU powers said they would try to save Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the US-funded news outlet set up to reach people under communism during the Cold War. The Prague-based service has been impacted by funding cuts by Trump https://t.co/19Xbwby4Yz pic.twitter.com/awjWwgCC8G
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 18, 2025
“Can we step in with our funding to fill the void left by the U.S.? The answer is not automatic, because many organizations come to us with similar requests,” Kallas told reporters. “However, there was a strong push from foreign ministers to discuss this matter further and find a way forward.”
The funding cut, justified by Trump as part of broader efforts to streamline federal bureaucracy, was executed through the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Over the weekend, USAGM formally ended its grants to RFE/RL, which broadcasts to regions including Iran, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine—areas where independent journalism remains under pressure. Despite the cuts, RFE/RL journalists continued working on Monday, with new stories appearing on its website.
RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus warned that terminating the grant agreement would represent “a massive gift to America’s enemies.”
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Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski confirmed that discussions were underway regarding potential EU assistance for both RFE/RL and Voice of America (VOA), another U.S.-funded broadcaster affected by the funding halt. More than 1,300 VOA employees were placed on leave following the decision.
Trump also signed an executive order on Friday targeting the broader structure of U.S. government-funded media organizations, including Voice of America and six other federal agencies. The move, part of a broader push to overhaul U.S. international broadcasting, resulted in the cancellation of over 80% of programming at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
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Adding to the controversy, billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk recently called for the shutdown of RFE/RL. In a post on X last month, Musk dismissed the organization as “just radical left crazy people talking to themselves.”
As EU leaders assess potential funding mechanisms, the fate of Radio Free Europe remains uncertain. While discussions continue, the loss of U.S. support has placed one of the world’s most prominent independent news outlets at risk.
