From Resistance to Survival: Myanmar’s Free Press Battles US Aid Cuts

The repercussions of the US’ funding freeze on foreign assistance resonate deeply in Southeast Asia, including in one of the countries where press freedom and independent reportage are most threatened.

On Jan. 20, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing a 90-day freeze on all US foreign assistance. According to the Global Investigative Journalism Network, this abrupt freeze halted an estimated US$268 million in committed grants for independent media and press freedom initiatives in over 30 countries, including in some of the most repressive ones. A subsequent decision to further reduce funding for selected federal agencies sent another shockwave: one casualty is the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia (RFA) and other global news outlets.