President Donald Trump has ordered the federally funded broadcaster to be “eliminated.” Longtime VOA correspondent Steve Herman explains why it will be missed.

This episode was produced by Gabrielle Berbey and Travis Larchuk with help from Miles Bryan, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Amanda Lewellyn, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Further reading: Behind the White House Curtain. Trump tapped Kari Lake to run VOA. Then he dismantled it. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast

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Longtime VOA correspondent Steve Herman in front of the White House. Photo by Sarah Silberger.

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