For the first time since its inception, Radio Free Asia (RFA) is halting its operations, a decision intertwined with the ongoing government shutdown and funding cuts by the Trump administration.

In an official announcement, Rose Hwang, RFA’s executive editor, cited “uncertain funding” as the primary reason for this suspension.

She expressed the difficulty of the situation, stating, “For RFA journalists who have faced immense risks to challenge oppressive regimes, this is an incredibly painful juncture.”

RFA was founded in 1996 under the International Broadcasting Act and serves as a vital source of information for nearly 60 million people each week in countries with restricted press freedom, such as China, Myanmar, North Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos.

In the fiscal year 2024, RFA operated with a budget allocation of $60.8 million. Before recent furloughs, its workforce included 400 full-time employees and 500 freelancers and contractors.

The pause comes amid the ongoing government shutdown, which hit 29 days on Wednesday and is on the verge of becoming the longest funding lapse in U.S. history.

In March, President Trump ordered funding cuts to the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees RFA. USAGM, led by acting CEO Victor Morales and special advisor Kari Lake, a Trump ally, received over $866.9 million in congressionally-appropriated funds in fiscal 2024, according to its annual financial report.

As a result of the cuts, RFA furloughed three-quarters of its workforce. In late March, it said in a legal filing that it would shut down by the end of April without court intervention, according to Reuters.

On its website, RFA says it is providing limited news updates on its website and social media. In her statement, Hwang said that RFA will return if its funding does. 

“Independent journalism is at the core of RFA. For the first time since RFA’s inception almost 30 years ago, that voice is at risk,” Hwang said. 

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.