U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday initiated sweeping layoffs at Voice of America (VOA) and other government-funded international media organizations, pressing forward with plans to scale back operations despite legal challenges and bipartisan criticism.
Kari Lake, a prominent Trump ally and senior official at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), described the move as a “long-overdue effort to dismantle a bloated, unaccountable bureaucracy.” According to Lake, the changes aim to modernize how America tells its story, ensuring it aligns with U.S. foreign policy goals.
Friday’s layoffs affected 639 employees, part of a broader cut that has eliminated around 1,400 positions across USAGM. Only 250 roles are expected to remain. Some VOA journalists — including members of the Persian service recently recalled amid heightened tensions following Israel’s strike on Iran — were among those terminated.
Legal action has already been filed against Lake, with plaintiffs arguing that the mass firings undermine Congress, which had already allocated funding for the agency. “This spells the death of 83 years of independent journalism that champions democracy and freedom worldwide,” said journalists Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat, and Kate Neeper in a joint statement.
Critics warn that dismantling U.S.-funded media gives hostile regimes a freer hand to spread disinformation. “Moscow, Beijing, Tehran, and extremist groups are flooding the information space with anti-American propaganda,” the plaintiffs warned. “Silencing America’s voice cedes critical ground.”
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, condemned the move as a “perversion of the law and congressional intent,” calling it “a dark day for the truth.”
Trump, who has often clashed with media outlets, has criticized VOA for being too independent and critical of his administration. He froze VOA’s operations in March — the first time such a move has occurred since its founding in 1942.
Notably, Radio Marti — which targets Cuban audiences and is supported by Cuban-American Republican lawmakers — was spared from the cuts. Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe, also U.S.-funded entities aimed at countries lacking press freedom, now face reduced operations. Radio Free Europe has survived in part due to support from the Czech government.
