In what may be the most dramatic move yet, the Trump administration this past week issued 639 pink slips to Voice of America (VOA) employees. This bold, expansive move has garnered lots of national media attention. This action all but destroys the U.S.-funded news service. Since its founding in World War II, it has been an absolutely critical tool for information and messaging, created to combat Nazi propaganda.
The origin of the layoffs came from orders received by Kari Lake, whom President Trump has put in charge of VOA. The decision aligns with Trump’s directive from March, which called for the elimination of the agency “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” After the recent firings, just 50 employees will be left. This staff would be distributed among VOA, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, and the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which is VOA’s parent organization.
Mass layoffs signal an important change at USAGM. That has meant more than 85% of its staff since March—about 1,400 employees—laid off. This unprecedented action raises grave concerns for the future of independent journalism. It presents a specific danger in countries with poor press freedoms, like China, Cambodia, Russia, and North Korea.
Steve Herman, VOA’s chief national correspondent, denounced the move as a “historic act of self-sabotage.” He spotlighted the central role VOA has played in advancing democratic ideals and delivering objective news coverage around the world.
Three former VOA journalists expressed their distress over the layoffs, stating, “It spells the death of 83 years of independent journalism that upholds US ideals of democracy and freedom around the world.”
The expanded list of layoffs was a blow not just to many long-time employees, but to specialized, local alternative reporting teams. Persian-language reporters and anchors for VOA were soon laid off after being called back to work. This occurred in the context of Israel’s increasing attacks against Iran. Reports from the Associated Press indicated that these reporters were barred from re-entering the VOA building after receiving termination notices.
Former VOA correspondent Dan Robinson reflected on the situation, suggesting that the agency had become a “hubris-filled rogue operation often reflecting a leftist bias aligned with partisan national media.” His remarks reflect a growing frustration about the soon changing hierarchy and realignment within U.S. international broadcasting.
The legal ramifications of these massive layoffs are still developing. Three journalists have filed federal lawsuits seeking to stop the network’s shutdown. All these developments are happening very quickly. They raise more profound questions about press freedom and journalistic integrity, igniting necessary conversations among media professionals and advocates for free expression.