In a dramatic move that has sent shockwaves through the journalistic community, President Donald Trump’s administration has laid off hundreds of reporters at the Voice of America (VOA), effectively dismantling a significant U.S. funded news organization that has served as a voice for press freedom globally. Among those affected were many Persian-language reporters who had just returned from administrative leave due to recent events involving Iran and Israel.
Steve Herman, VOA’s chief national correspondent, condemned the layoffs as a “historic act of self-sabotage,” explaining that the agency was established during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda. The administration justified the layoffs, citing that the agency was “riddled with dysfunction, bias, and waste.”
On a Friday, President Trump’s newly appointed head of VOA, Kari Lake, announced the termination of approximately 639 employees from the agency, effectively reducing its size to a minimal operational staff. The mass layoffs come as part of Trump’s broader agenda aimed at cutting down what he describes as the “out-of-control federal bureaucracy.”
A staggering reduction in workforce, it is noted that more than 85% of VOA’s staff, totaling around 1,400 personnel, have lost their jobs since March, with only 50 remaining employees across the VOA, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, and VOA’s parent organization, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM).
A statement from three VOA journalists currently involved in litigation against the agency’s layoffs expressed deep concerns, stating that these firings mark the end of 83 years of independent journalism that embodies the U.S. ideals of democracy and freedom.
The decision to streamline VOA operations aligns with Trump’s previous orders to eliminate agencies like VOA and other U.S.-funded international media outlets, which have historically provided critical news coverage where press freedom is limited. Critics of the agency have described it as a “leftist bias aligned with partisan national media,” intensifying the contentious relationship between the Trump administration and media outlets in the U.S.
This move is reflective of Trump’s long-standing criticism towards various media platforms, categorizing them as biased, and suggesting a need for reduced federal funding for organizations like National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
As these actions unfold, the fate of independent journalism remains in question, raising alarms over the future of news reporting in the United States and its role in the broader international landscape.