**Kari Lake, Acting CEO of USAGM, Terminates Hungarian-Language Service at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty**
Kari Lake, the Acting CEO of the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), sent a letter to Congressional Committees on Wednesday, notifying them of the agency’s decision to terminate the Szabad Europa service — the Hungarian-language broadcast at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), a grantee organization under USAGM.
Lake stated that “following consultation with the Department of State, USAGM is terminating and no longer funding the Hungarian Language Service at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) known as Szabad Europa.” She added that the agency is “ending the use of any and all U.S. taxpayer money for the purpose of developing content for, or distributing content to, the populations of our NATO allies,” and will instead be “focusing our resources elsewhere consistent with Administration priorities.”
Emphasizing the agency’s mission, Lake said, “The taxpayer-funded organizations sponsored by USAGM do not exist to serve the interests, policies, or agenda of the European Union or any other foreign government, federation, or international body, but rather exist solely to serve the American people. Undermining staunch allies does not serve the American people.”
The letter also reflects the Trump Administration’s stance, noting that “the original justification for adding Szabad Europa to RFE/RL’s programming lineup in 2019 is not aligned with U.S. national interests.” According to Lake, this programming “has undermined President Trump’s foreign policy by opposing the duly elected Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban.” She highlighted that “Prime Minister Orban was (and is) the leader of Hungary, which is both a strong U.S. ally and a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).”
This decision comes amidst Lake’s broader efforts to reform the agency, including removing bad actors and rooting out what she describes as left-wing globalist propaganda in taxpayer-funded media. The move to abolish the Hungarian-language service—which she describes as propaganda aimed at destabilizing Orban’s conservative government—is expected to stir reactions, particularly from the Democratic Party.
Earlier in June, Kari Lake provided bombshell testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, exposing USAGM’s record of waste, fraud, mismanagement, self-dealing, and national security failures. During the hearing, Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) launched a vehement attack on Lake, repeatedly referring to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as a “dictator.”
In response, Lake emphasized, “Prime Minister @PM_ViktorOrban is duly elected by the people of Hungary. And Hungary is an ally of the United States, as well as a partner in restoring peace to the region.”
In another statement, Lake wrote, “Hard-working American taxpayers should not be funding propaganda aimed at pushing a globalist/EU agenda while destabilizing our allies like Hungary in Europe. Prime Minister @PM_ViktorOrban is an ally, he was duly elected, and he is working with @realDonaldTrump and America to achieve peace in the region.”
The termination letter was sent to the Chairmen and Minority Ranking Members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
*Read a copy of the letter sent to House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Chairman Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL).*
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/11/new-kari-lake-axes-hungarian-language-radio-free/
