The Trump administration has initiated widespread layoffs at Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S.-funded media outlets, signaling a significant shift in the government’s approach to international broadcasting.
The move follows a weekend announcement that all staff members had been placed on administrative leave, with contractual workers receiving termination notices effective at the end of March.
The termination emails, confirmed by multiple employees, instructed contractors to cease all work immediately and prohibited access to agency buildings and systems. Since most of VOA’s workforce comprises contractors—many of whom are non-U.S. citizens—their job losses could jeopardize their visa status.
While full-time employees have not been terminated, they remain on leave with instructions not to engage in work activities. Established during World War II, VOA broadcasts in 49 languages, aiming to provide news coverage in regions lacking media freedom.
Liam Scott, a reporter for VOA who focuses on press freedom, reported that he was also notified of his termination as of March 31. He highlighted the administration’s strategy as part of a broader effort to dismantle government institutions while eroding press freedoms in the United States.
Amid the uncertainty, some VOA services have resorted to playing music due to a lack of new programming.
Executive Order and Budget Cuts
On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order targeting the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees VOA. The agency employed 3,384 individuals in the fiscal year 2023 and requested a budget of $950 million for the current year. The cuts also impact Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia, which were established to deliver news in regions with restricted media access.
Additional targeted outlets include Radio Farda, a Persian-language station blocked by Iran, and Alhurra, an Arabic-language network created after the Iraq invasion to counter critical coverage from outlets like Al-Jazeera.
The White House stated that “taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda,” a sentiment that underscores the administration’s increasingly adversarial relationship with these media entities, which have historically aimed at countering narratives from adversarial states.
Advisors to Trump, including entrepreneur Elon Musk, advocate for reducing government size to facilitate tax cuts, with recent actions suggesting a broader reduction in foreign assistance and educational funding.
Press Freedom and Global Implications
As the U.S. diminishes its investment in independent media, countries like China and Russia have ramped up support for state media, positioning themselves to influence global narratives. The Chinese state-run Global Times editorialized about the shifts in Western media, asserting that U.S. outlets like VOA are losing their monopoly on information and that their narratives will soon be viewed as outdated.
This unprecedented change raises concerns about the future of press freedom and the quality of information available to audiences worldwide, marking a contentious chapter in U.S. media history.
