Voice of America mass layoffs as Kari Lake pushes Trump agenda
Journalists at Voice of America are watching their careers unravel as Kari Lake and the Trump administration sidestep court orders to dismantle the federally funded media outlet. Despite a legal mandate to restore operations, hundreds have been laid off again, leaving the future of American public diplomacy in peril
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They showed up to do their jobs. They filed reports, edited broadcasts, and translated global headlines for millions. Now, Voice of America journalists are instead navigating mass layoffs, stalled paychecks, and a grim silence in their once-bustling newsrooms.This is the scene inside the US-funded broadcaster that has become the latest target of the Trump administration's war on government-funded media. Despite a judge's order to reinstate operations and staff, Kari Lake , Trump's senior adviser and head of the US Agency for Global Media is pushing forward with deep cuts, citing the president's March executive order to dismantle 'wasteful' institutions.Also read: Hundreds of Voice of America contractors face mass job losses in Trump's latest crackdown With the Voice of America website inactive for over two months and hundreds of contractors laid off, some for the second time, journalists say they are fighting for more than their paychecks. They're fighting for the survival of independent public service broadcasting, as mandated by Congress.The March 14 Trump executive order calls for the near-total dismantling of the US Agency for Global Media ( USAGM ) and its broadcasting arms, including Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia, and Middle East Broadcasting Networks. It directs the agencies to reduce staffing and function 'to the minimum presence and function required by law.'That order gave Kari Lake sweeping control. In the weeks since, she has canceled contracts with international news services like AP and Reuters, gutted plans for a new VOA headquarters, and replaced content partnerships with programming from One America News, a far-right, pro-Trump outlet.In Lake's own words, Voice of America has morphed from being 'a vital international media outlet' to 'anti-American propaganda' and 'unsalvageable.' The pivot marks a jarring shift in tone from her earlier statements in December, when she pledged to promote democracy and 'tell the American story accurately.'Also read: Is Vladimir Putin blackmailing Elon Musk over Ukraine? Ex-FBI agent alleges Russian plot to target world's richest man In a scathing decision, US District Court Senior Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled last month that the administration's actions were 'arbitrary and capricious.' He ordered Lake and USAGM to immediately bring back workers and resume regular operations.'There is an absence of any analysis whatsoever,' Lamberth wrote, criticizing the lack of justification for shuttering operations. He also ordered the restoration of sister broadcasters, including Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks.But the administration has resisted. Earlier this month, a 2-to-1 ruling from an appeals court temporarily froze the district court's decision, allowing Lake to proceed with layoffs while the case plays out.This past weekend, she did just that by cutting hundreds of contract employees again. The website remains dormant. And the rest of the VOA workforce? On indefinite leave.VOA White House bureau chief Patsy Widakuswara, the lead plaintiff in the case, warned that the appellate court's decision could embolden the administration.'We are devastated and concerned that this ruling might lead to further adverse reactions from the administration,' Widakuswara told NPR. 'But our day in court is not over yet, and we are committed to fighting until we can return to our congressionally mandated right to broadcast factual, balanced, and comprehensive news.'Also read: Trump admin begins mass layoffs at Voice of America VOA Director Michael Abramowitz echoed her concern in a letter to staff, writing that USAGM might soon move to 'make further reductions.' He assured employees that legal options are being reviewed.While the White House frames the decision as part of a broader effort to eliminate government 'frivolous expenditures,' many inside the agency see it as an ideological purge.Three current USAGM employees, speaking anonymously due to fear of retaliation, say Lake's plan appears to involve scaling down operations to only a few language services, like Mandarin for China, Farsi for Iran, and Pashto and Dari for Afghanistan.With Congress having already allocated funds, critics say withholding the money is not only illegal but deeply damaging to national interests. The networks are more than news outlets; they are instruments of soft diplomacy designed to promote American values in regions where the free press is suppressed.While most networks under USAGM suffer, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty recently secured a temporary funding boost from the European Union. The US government still owes the network $75 million under existing legislation.Also read: Trump signs executive order directing federal funding cuts to PBS and NPR That funding gap has already forced furloughs and reduced programming. A federal court has ordered the government to pay, but the administration continues to delay disbursement of funds.Meanwhile, Lake has taken to social media to celebrate the appellate ruling, declaring a 'BIG WIN' and mocking the judge's earlier decision. 'Turns out the District Court judge will not be able to manage the agency,' she posted.Amid the uncertainty, a glimmer of legal resistance appeared this week. A federal judge struck down a Trump-backed effort to eliminate the US Institute for Peace through the administration's budget-cutting DOGE initiative. Though not directly related to VOA, the ruling may signal that courts are still willing to rein in executive overreach, just not quickly.For now, Voice of America staff remain in limbo. The once-vibrant newsroom, a symbol of free press and democracy since World War II, echoes only with silence. Its future hangs in the balance, not just for the journalists left jobless, but for the millions worldwide who once relied on it for uncensored truth.
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Istanbul Peace Talks Hang By A Thread Amid Drone Barrage
