Some fear Breitbart-focused takeover of broadcasters

contributor-turned-senior adviser to the BBG, are conspiring to oust the current leadership, four current and former BBG officials say. The plan, they contend, is to stack the top with ideologues aligned with President Donald Trump and to dissolve the BBG board, with expectations that the White House would nominate Mendes as the new CEO.

A White House spokesperson declined to comment.

Employees fear that if the move is carried out, it could undermine the independent and fact-based reporting of the outlets under the BBG, including Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks.

“They’re planning a blatant power grab,” one BBG official said.

Mendes sharply disputed that narrative, saying employees are lying and stoking a “culture of fear” to try to push him out. Mendes is leaving the BBG in the coming weeks for a job at the Commerce Department.

Amid the sparring, top Democratic lawmakers threw their weight in the fight. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Tuesday: “We are just starting to learn about disturbing efforts to purge the Broadcasting Board of Governors and impose a partisan editorial voice on U.S. international media.”

Employees had for more than a year thought the Trump White House would orchestrate sweeping change to the government media arm. Last year, Shapiro reportedly told colleagues that he wanted to transform the agency into a “Bannon legacy.” Shapiro did not respond to a request for comment.

Thomas Hill, a Brookings Institution expert, dismissed the concern about a proTrump outlet emerging.

“It would be akin to saying, ‘Oh, Jeff Bezos bought The Washington Post, ergo all The Washington Post will be doing is Amazon puff pieces now,’” Hill said.