The Trump administration has shuttered a number of federal agencies, and ordered another tranche closed last Friday.

Among them was Voice of America — a news outlet founded to help the Allies fight the Nazis that still publishes and broadcasts today. Or did, until Saturday, when its employees found themselves unable to go to work.

The media remarked on the loss of Voice of America, but it didn’t quite cause the stir that firings at USAID or the Department of Education did, and that’s perhaps because it does not broadcast inside the US. Americans can visit its website for news, but can’t hear it on the radio or see it on television.

However, as Gabrielle Berbey — who, along with her colleagues at Today, Explained reported on the death of Voice of America — explains, the outlet’s shuttering provides a helpful way to understand the Trump administration’s approach to governance. I spoke with Gabrielle about this, and more — our conversation, edited for length and clarity, is below.

What is Voice of America? Why is it important?

Voice of America is the largest and oldest US international broadcaster; it was established in 1942 to fight Nazi propaganda via shortwave radio. By the time World War II ended, Voice of America — or VOA — had 3,200 programs around the world in 40 languages.

It’s operated since then, with a mission to continue combating authoritarian propaganda and to spread US values throughout the world. Today, it’s a part of United States Agency for........

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