Cuban state-run media applauded the Trump administration's decision to significantly reduce funding for U.S.-funded media outlets, previously viewed as essential in promoting Washington's perspective in Cuba.
President Donald Trump announced cuts to the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), a nearly $1 billion entity that manages news broadcasts in 50 languages. The reductions have resulted in the closure of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Radio Marti, and the online platform Noticias Marti, which aimed to provide "the Cuban people with news and information without censorship."
Based in Miami, these services delivered news about Cuba primarily to a Cuban audience, often serving as a counterbalance to state-run media on the island. The Cuban outlet Cubadebate praised the Trump decision, labeling the programs as "the most expensive, failed, and corrupt communications project in the history of the United States."
Attempts to reach the Office of Cuba Broadcasting and Radio Marti, now off the air, were unsuccessful. U.S. Representative Maria Elvira Salazar, a Florida Republican and former journalist, emphasized that these outlets were crucial in countering propaganda from the Cuban government. She stated her commitment to ensuring the Cuban people access the uncensored news they deserve.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Kari Lake, nominated by Trump to lead USAGM's Voice of America, criticized the organization as "a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer" and deemed it "not salvageable." Randy Alonso, editor-in-chief of Cubadebate, echoed this sentiment, referring to USAGM content as "digital sludge" and highlighting the substantial financial resources allocated to Cuba without success in overthrowing the Revolution.
The cuts to these programs and reductions in U.S. funding for other media focused on Cuba seem to contradict Secretary of State Marco Rubio's January announcement regarding the restoration of a tough U.S.-Cuba policy. A State Department official acknowledged the situation as "very complex and fluid," stating that Americans elected the president to reduce federal bureaucracy, which requires difficult decisions.
The Office of Cuba Broadcasting defended its approximate $15 million budget by asserting its role in providing objective journalism on Cuba. They argued that, amidst a barrage of Chinese and Russian disinformation through official Cuban media, the Office has been at the forefront of combating these falsehoods with factual reporting. However, multiple U.S. government audits have raised concerns about the program's effectiveness.
A 2019 independent expert panel found that established norms of objectivity in journalism were "routinely disregarded," according to a 2020 report from the U.S. Office of the Inspector General. Additionally, the report indicated a lack of consensus among staff regarding the network's primary mission, with some viewing it as an advocacy tool against the Cuban government, while others viewed it as a means of providing independent, objective news to the Cuban populace.