Alhurra, the Arabic-language television network launched by the US government in the wake of the Iraq invasion, has announced that it will halt broadcasts and lay off the majority of its staff, following funding cuts by President Donald Trump’s administration.
Established in 2004 to counter what US officials saw as biased coverage of the Iraq war by Qatar-based Al-Jazeera, Alhurra aimed to provide an alternative voice in Arabic media.
Over the years, however, it has struggled to compete with established players like Al-Jazeera, Saudi-funded Al-Arabiya, and more recently, Sky News Arabia, backed by the UAE.
Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), which oversees Alhurra and other US-supported Arabic media outlets, confirmed the shutdown, blaming the move on the abrupt halt in financial support ordered by the Trump administration as part of broader cost-cutting measures.
“Media in the Middle East thrive on a diet of anti-Americanism,” said MBN’s President and CEO Jeffrey Gedmin in a statement.
“It makes no sense to kill MBN as a sensible alternative and to open the field to American adversaries and Islamic extremists.”
The funding freeze, which also affected Voice of America, was part of a larger initiative reportedly spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk.
While some VOA staff have initiated legal action to reverse the cuts—citing congressional approval for the funding—the financial flow was stopped before resolutions could be made.
In a message to MBN staff, Gedmin expressed frustration over failed efforts to engage with Kari Lake, a staunch Trump ally recently appointed to oversee US-funded international media.
“I’m left to conclude that she is deliberately starving us of the money we need to pay you, our dedicated and hard-working staff,” he wrote.
“What’s happening is a disgrace. You deserve better and I bear responsibility for not resolving this crisis in time to keep you.”
While the TV network will go off the air, Gedmin said Alhurra will attempt to maintain a minimal digital presence with a significantly downsized team of “a couple dozen” staff.
Alhurra claims to reach over 30 million weekly viewers across 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, though its influence has remained limited compared to regional heavyweights.
The shutdown comes amid broader questions about editorial independence in US-funded media, with critics accusing the Trump administration of undermining the “firewall” that was meant to shield journalists from political interference.
Although Alhurra operated on grants rather than being directly managed by the US government, its fate mirrors that of other similarly structured media outlets.
Elsewhere, Radio Free Europe — which once played a pivotal role during the Cold War — has received assurances of support from the Czech government to sustain operations.
Radio Free Asia, meanwhile, continues limited digital publishing targeting China, North Korea, and other nations with restricted press freedoms.
