‘Discarded like a dirty rag’: Chinese media cheers Trump’s ‘Voice of America’ cuts

China’s state-controlled media is celebrating US President Donald Trump‘s recent decision to slash funding for Voice of America (VOA) and other US federal government-funded news outlets, calling the move a victory against “Western propaganda.”
In an editorial this week, the Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party-affiliated newspaper, mocked the sudden cuts, describing VOA as a “so-called beacon of freedom” that had been “discarded by its own government like a dirty rag.” The editorial framed Trump’s decision as proof of the diminishing influence of US government-funded media, long viewed by Beijing as a tool to undermine its global narrative.
The cuts, which placed nearly all VOA staff on leave and halted grants to Radio Free Asia and other outlets, have sparked alarm among press freedom advocates. These outlets have historically provided independent reporting on sensitive topics, including human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Tibet—issues the Chinese government consistently denies.
While Chinese officials refrained from directly endorsing Trump’s move, they wasted no time criticizing the affected media. “I do not comment on US domestic policy changes,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning when asked about the funding cuts, as reported by NewsWeek magazine. “But as for the media you mentioned, their bad records in reporting on China are not a secret.”
The decision to defund the US Agency for Global Media, which oversees these outlets, also drew applause from other authoritarian figures. Cambodia’s former Prime Minister Hun Sen, who ruled for nearly four decades, praised the cuts as a blow to “fake news” and “disinformation.” In a written statement, he called Trump’s move “a major contribution” to silencing the “propaganda machine” that had long criticized his regime.
Critics of the cuts argue they weaken the United States’ ability to counter China’s information dominance. Clayton Weimers, US executive director of Reporters Without Borders, warned that authoritarian regimes like China would be the “biggest winners” from the decision. “Many of them are looking forward to filling the gap left by American leadership in media freedom with their own propaganda,” Weimers said.
In Washington, concern is mounting over the long-term strategic impact of the cuts. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat on the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition with the Chinese Communist Party, called the move a severe blow to US efforts to challenge Beijing’s global messaging. “These media outlets provide real reporting to millions living under authoritarian regimes,” Krishnamoorthi said, adding that they play a critical role in countering Chinese propaganda and offering alternative narratives.
China, which ranks 172 out of 180 on the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, tightly controls domestic media and has expanded its influence globally through state-backed outlets like China Global Television Network (CGTN). With US media presence diminished, observers warn that Beijing may seize the opportunity to further shape international discourse to align with its interests.
For now, China’s state media is reveling in what it sees as a symbolic defeat for its ideological rival. As the Global Times put it, “The era of American media shaping global opinion is fading, and no one will mourn the loss.”