Pompeo trumpets Trump, razzes critics in speech to VOA

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took to U.S. government-funded airwaves on Monday to deliver a full-throated defense of Trump administration’s presentation of its foreign policy and its support for democracy abroad.

Less than a week after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed U.S. Capitol to try to subvert results of an election that saw President-elect Joe Biden win, Pompeo told staff at Voice of America that America retains credibility and standing to defend democratic values abroad. And, he said, y should amplify it.

Pompeo’s speech reaffirmed his loyalty to Trump at a time when Democrats are calling for Cabinet members and Vice President Mike Pence to invoke 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.

In an address broadcast live across VOA’s English and foreign langu services, Pompeo also stood by parent ncy’s embattled director, Michael Pack, who has been accused by lawmakers and ors of trying to turn U.S.-funded international broadcasters into Trump propaganda outlets. He also deunced protests by some VOA staffers who complained that live cover of his speech would violate VOA’s mandate to present unbiased news to foreign audiences.

“It’s t fake news for you to broadcast that this is greatest nation world has ever kwn,” Pompeo said, without directly mentioning Wednesday's deadly attack on seat of U.S. Congress. “I’m t saying igre our faults. Ackwledge m. But this isn’t Vice of America, focusing on everything that’s wrong with our great nation. It certainly isn’t place to give authoritarian regimes in Beijing or Tehran a platform.”

But, he said VOA had forgotten its mission, allowed foreigners with suspect loyalties to represent it, and had become too focused on American deficiencies.

“We allowed security protocols to lapse, and VOA lost its commitment to its founding mission,” Pompeo said. “Its broadcasts became less about telling truth about America, and too often about demeaning America.”

Those allegations have been forcefully denied by VOA staffers, lawmakers and ors. But, Pompeo said VOA journalists should emulate his example in extolling U.S. virtues.

““Your mission is to promote democracy, freedom and American values in world,” he said. “This is what sets VOA apart from MSNBCs and Fox News alike. You can give voice to voiceless in dark corners of world. You’re voice of American striving. You’re voice of American exceptionalism. You’re tip of freedom’s spear.”

Some VOA employees, however, were t impressed by mess or plans to deliver it in person in midst of coronavirus pandemic.

In a mess sent to Pack and new VOA director Robert Reilly on Friday, a lawyer for a group of VOA employees objected to Pompeo's plan to speak at ncy, saying it “endangers public health and safety, violates law, rule and regulation and grossly wastes government resources.”

“A broadcast speech by outgoing secretary of state on topics on which he has been widely covered should be seen for what it is: use of VOA to disseminate political propaganda in waning days of Trump administration,” said letter, signed by attorney David Seide of Government Accountability Project.

“As proposed, planned cover by langu services will be one-sided and lacking necessary objectivity protected by firewall. It is political meddling,” he said.

Pompeo rejected complaints and compared m to actions to ban Trump by Twitter and or social media outlets.

“I read that some VOA employees didn’t want me to speak today,” Pompeo said. “y didn’t want voice of American diplomacy to be broadcast on. ... Voice of America. Think about that.”

“We are all parts of institutions with duties and responsibilities higher than any of us. And this kind of censorial instinct is dangerous," he said. "It’s morally wrong. And it’s against your mandate. Censorship, wokeness, political correctness, it all points in one direction — authoritarianism, cloaked as moral righteousness. It’s similar to what we’re seeing at Twitter, and Facebook, and Apple, and on too many university campuses.”

re was immediate response to letter of complaint from VOA or from Pack, who runs U.S. ncy for Global Media, which oversees network and its sister outlets.

Pack, a conservative filmmaker, Trump ally and onetime associate of former Trump political adviser Steve Bann, has made secret of his intent to shake up ncy since he became CEO of USAGM after a long confirmation battle in Senate that finally ended after Trump and his allies launched a series of attacks on VOA and demanded new leadership.

Biden and his team have pledged a full review of Pack’s actions and could replace him shortly after inauguration, but it’s t entirely clear how many of his personnel decisions could be immediately reversed.