Trump Begins Major Layoffs at Voice of America

The Trump administration initiated mass layoffs at Voice of America (VOA) and other US-funded media outlets on Sunday, signaling its intention to cut funding to organizations long viewed as crucial for US influence abroad.

Just a day after all VOA employees were placed on administrative leave, contractors received an email notifying them of their termination at the end of March. The email, confirmed by multiple employees to AFP, instructed contractors to “cease all work immediately” and banned them from accessing any agency buildings or systems.

Contractors, who make up a significant portion of VOA’s workforce and largely staff the non-English language services, are among the first to be affected. Many of these contractors are not US citizens and may rely on their jobs for visa status to remain in the United States. Full-time staff, who have more legal protections, have not yet been terminated but remain on leave and are prohibited from working.

Voice of America, founded during World War II, broadcasts in 49 languages and was established to reach audiences in countries with restricted media freedoms. However, with many of its services now in limbo, some have resorted to playing music due to the lack of new programming.

Liam Scott, a VOA reporter covering press freedom and disinformation, shared that he, too, had been informed of his dismissal as of March 31. He expressed concern on X, stating that the destruction of VOA and other media outlets was part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to dismantle the government and attack press freedom.

Trump signed an executive order on Friday that targeted the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), VOA’s parent organization, as part of sweeping cuts to the federal government. The agency, which had 3,384 employees in the 2023 fiscal year, had requested $950 million in funding for the current fiscal year. These cuts also freeze operations at other critical US-funded media outlets, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and Radio Farda, as well as Alhurra, a network aimed at countering Middle Eastern media narratives.

The White House issued a statement on Saturday, claiming that taxpayers should no longer be responsible for “radical propaganda” — a term rarely used to describe VOA, which has long focused on countering communist influence. Trump has frequently criticized media coverage of his administration and questioned the necessity of funding outlets like VOA, citing concerns over their editorial independence, which is protected by a “firewall.”

These actions come as countries like China and Russia have invested heavily in state-controlled media to challenge Western narratives, with China offering free content to media outlets in the developing world. In response, China’s state-run Global Times published an editorial on the decline of VOA, claiming that the dominance of traditional Western media is being disrupted and that VOA’s portrayal of China will soon be seen as outdated.

Trump’s efforts to reduce government size are aligned with his broader goal of implementing tax cuts. His administration has already cut most foreign development assistance and is working to dismantle the Education Department.