Elon Musk's tweet showing support for former Ambassador Richard Grenell's call for shutting down Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty and the Voice of America would harm U.S. national and international security interests.

It does not seem to be in line with President Trump's plans for these congressionally supported, taxpayer-funded media outlets. I say that as a longtime critic of the U.S. Agency for Global Media's mismanagement of these entities.

Musk and Grenell are correct that the Obama and Biden administrations' appointees politicized much of government-employed journalists' work to advance their partisan and ideological agenda. The actions and failures of the former USAGM management caused tremendous harm to objective journalism, and support for freedom, a free press and democracy abroad.

However, giving up and getting rid of these national security assets — because honest and fair journalism is truly an asset — would be a gift to America's enemies.

To squander America's ability to compete with China, Russia and Iran, and our ability to address them and their populations immediately and authoritatively in the event of an emergency, would be an abrogation of the duty to govern responsibly. It would waste existing national security resources that must be drastically realigned and reformed but not discarded.

Communicating American and Western values and priorities to the world with honest, fair and comprehensive........

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