U.S. President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind a growing Republican campaign to revive Cold War-era restrictions on government-funded media outlets following the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
On Saturday, Trump reposted a video on Truth Social in which a supporter urged him to reinstate the original Smith-Mundt Act of 1948 and rename it the “Charlie Kirk Act.” The proposal, now circulating among Republican lawmakers, would prohibit U.S.-funded media outlets from targeting domestic audiences.
The original Smith-Mundt Act was enacted during the early years of the Cold War to prevent government-backed media from influencing Americans, instead focusing its messaging abroad as part of Washington’s propaganda war with the Soviet Union. However, the 2012 Smith-Mundt Modernization Act relaxed those restrictions, allowing such content to be shared domestically upon request. Many Republicans argue this change has enabled “government propaganda” to reach U.S. audiences unchecked.
Addressing the nation on Wednesday after Kirk’s murder, Trump hinted that the media itself bore responsibility, stating that its “lies and distortions” had fueled hostility against conservative figures.
Since returning to office, Trump has already moved aggressively against U.S.-funded media institutions, cutting budgets for outlets such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Voice of America (VOA), while slashing staff across their bureaus. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funded NPR and PBS, was forced to shut down in August after federal funding was eliminated.
Trump has also linked the issue to his wider campaign against billionaire George Soros and the Open Society Foundation, which funds numerous U.S.-backed NGOs overseas. According to Trump and his allies, both NGOs and U.S.-funded broadcasters act as tools of destabilization abroad while distorting discourse at home.
While RFE/RL and VOA remain largely irrelevant in the American media landscape, public broadcasters such as NPR and PBS still enjoy significant domestic reach. Kirk’s killing, coupled with growing Republican anger over perceived bias, may now serve as the catalyst for Trump and GOP leaders to push forward sweeping restrictions—or even a full dismantling—of taxpayer-funded media.