The Hungarian service of Radio Free Europe, known as Szabad Európa, officially ended its operations on Friday after the Trump administration confirmed it would no longer provide financial support to the pro-democracy news outlet.
End of an Era for US-Funded Media in Hungary
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which receives funding from the United States government, originally began during the Cold War to deliver news and information to people living under Soviet control and behind the Iron Curtain. The organization currently broadcasts in 27 languages across 23 countries throughout Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
Hungary's service had previously been terminated in 1993 but was revived in 2020 after both the United States Agency for Global Media and the U.S. Congress approved its relaunch. This decision came in response to Hungary's significant decline in media freedom under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government.
Political Decisions Behind the Closure
In a statement released on Thursday announcing the shutdown, Szabad Európa expressed that it had "worked with dedication to provide the best of journalism and objective information to Hungarian readers." The statement thanked audiences for their "trust, interest and support" and noted that existing articles would remain accessible online.
The closure represents part of broader cuts by the Trump administration to international broadcasters including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America, as well as domestic public broadcasters PBS and NPR.
Kari Lake, the former Arizona gubernatorial and U.S. Senate candidate whom Trump appointed as senior adviser to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, informed Congress earlier this month that the agency would cease funding Szabad Európa. In her letter, she stated the outlet's operations in Hungary were "not aligned with U.S. national interests" and that they "undermined" Trump's foreign policy approach.
Orbán's Media Consolidation and International Response
Two days after Lake's congressional letter—coinciding with Trump hosting Orbán for discussions at the White House—Lake posted on X that "The Globalists are more than welcome to hate our ally Viktor Orbán." She added, "What they are not entitled to is the use of YOUR money to destabilize the Hungarian regime via taxpayer-funded programming on Szabad Európa. We're putting a stop to that." Orbán responded to her post with a simple "Thank you!"
Since returning to power in 2010, Orbán, a Trump ally, has overseen the development of an extensive pro-government media network in Hungary while numerous independent newspapers and outlets have been closed or brought under the control of individuals with close government connections.
According to press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders, Orbán has utilized media buyouts by government-connected oligarchs to construct "a true media empire subject to his party's orders." The organization estimates these acquisitions have given Orbán's party control over approximately 80% of Hungary's media market resources. In 2021, the group placed Orbán on its list of media "predators," making him the first European Union leader to receive this designation.
Earlier this year, Orbán's party introduced legislation that would create a blacklist and impose fines on critical media outlets that receive foreign funding or grants, further consolidating government influence over Hungary's media landscape.
