President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday aimed at gutting the parent of U.S. government-funded media outlet Voice of America and six other federal agencies, his administration's latest step to shrink bureaucracy.

With the Trump administration moving quickly to assert its authority, the Voice of America says it has moved to cancel contracts with The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse wire services.

The order targets the funding for Voice of America, which has been in the Trump administration’s crosshairs in recent weeks.

(Reuters) -Several employees at Voice of America were placed on paid leave on Saturday, one day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order gutting the U.S. government-funded media outlet's parent and six other federal agencies.

The order targeting the agencies, largely obscure entities that address issues like labor mediation and homelessness prevention, appeared to test the bounds of the president’s power.

President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order aimed at reducing the scope of eight federal agencies as part of his campaign to downsize the US government.

Donald Trump is targeting the Voice of America and other U.S.-funded international broadcasting entities, as he signed an executive order on Friday to eliminate the functions of their oversight agency.