Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Rector of the University of Journalism of Uzbekistan, Sherzodkhon Kudrathuja, commented on the potential closure of the Uzbek service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and the USAID office, expressing support for initiatives aimed at restricting the activities of these organizations.

Kudrathuja endorsed the proposal by the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk, to cease broadcasting media outlets such as RFE/RL and Voice of America. In his view, their operations have lost relevance in the modern era.

"During the Soviet period, such media were used as propaganda tools, but today their necessity is highly questionable," the rector noted.

He emphasized that Uzbekistan has a sufficient number of national media outlets capable of fully covering events and fulfilling their responsibilities.

At the same time, Kudrathuja expressed concern that American media platforms promote ideas and values that are foreign to Uzbek society, particularly those related to LGBTQ ideology. In this context, he voiced his respect for the initiatives of Elon Musk and Donald Trump, which aim to limit the influence of such information resources.

Regarding USAID’s activities in Uzbekistan, the rector stated that the country has had no issues cooperating with the organization. However, in his opinion, the republic is confidently progressing on the path of independent development, relying on its own capabilities and building international partnerships in line with its national interests.