In brief
The Trump administration is moving to lay off almost 500 employees from Voice of America (VOA) in a decision criticized by employees and advocates of press freedom. The Acting CEO claims this will reduce bureaucracy and save funds, while a union representing the staff has called the layoffs illegal. VOA was created to counteract propaganda and is a key global news outlet. Critics argue that this action undermines US media credibility abroad and restricts press freedom.
The Trump administration has moved to terminate almost 500 employees of the federally funded news organization Voice of America (VOA).
This step is the latest in President Donald Trump's drive to strip back the outlet, which the White House has accused of being radical.
Acting CEO of VOA's parent agency, Kari Lake, stated the decision would help reduce the federal bureaucracy, improve agency service, and save the American people more of their hard-earned money. A union representing employees has called the move illegal, asserting their rights.
VOA, established during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda, has become a major global broadcaster. The Agency for Global Media (USAGM) that oversees VOA announced that 532 positions would be eliminated, leaving the broadcaster with just 108 staff members, according to a court filing.
In June, Lake planned to terminate 639 employees, a decision later halted due to paperwork errors. Following a judge's ruling that the Trump administration had not adhered to proper procedures in seeking to dismiss VOA's director, Michael Abramowitz, the new layoff notices were issued. This ruling led to further legal scrutiny concerning the agency's practices.
Employees argue that Lake's attempts to dismantle VOA lack transparency and their ongoing lawsuits aim to protect their jobs and uphold the integrity of the agency.'We find Lake's continued attacks on our agency abhorrent,' they expressed in a statement.
Most VOA journalists have been on administrative leave since March, although some staff members returned during the Israel-Iran conflict. Notably, journalists from the Office of Cuba Broadcasting will not be affected by these layoffs.
Critics of the administration's actions assert that targeting VOA represents a significant threat to press freedom and undermines the U.S.'s soft power internationally. The Trump administration has continuously branded the outlet as anti-Trump. Currently, VOA broadcasts content in almost 50 languages.
