Newsmax Executive Named as Voice of America's Deputy

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The Trump administration has named Christopher Wallace, a news director at the pro-Trump Newsmax network and a former Fox News producer, as the next deputy director of the international broadcaster Voice of America. This appointment raised concerns among VOA journalists that the administration would try to influence the organization's coverage by picking a deputy with a background at conservative news channels.

Why it matters

Voice of America is a government-funded news group that is mandated by Congress to maintain editorial independence. The Trump administration had previously sought to dismantle VOA, calling it 'Voice of radical America', and the appointment of a Newsmax executive as deputy director raises fears that the administration will try to undermine the organization's independence.

The details

A federal judge recently nullified nearly all actions the Trump administration had taken to shutter Voice of America, and ordered more than 1,000 journalists and support staff members to return to work. The job posting for the deputy role listed familiarity with threats posed to democratic institutions, like 'election fraud', as one of the key qualifications, raising further concerns about potential political interference.

• On March 18, 2026, Voice of America's parent agency named Christopher Wallace as the next deputy director.
• On March 17, 2026, a federal judge nullified nearly all actions the Trump administration had taken to shutter Voice of America.

What’s next

The judge's order on Tuesday, which could be appealed, would revert the Trump administration's efforts to shutter Voice of America and bring back over 1,000 employees on March 23.