Home World Voice of America gutted by Trump adviser Kari Lake

Voice of America gutted by Trump adviser Kari Lake

Kari Lake, senior adviser to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, has slashed its workforce by 85%, or 1,400 positions.

Kari Lake, senior adviser to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, has slashed its workforce by 85%, or 1,400 positions. Samuel Corum/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Senior White House adviser Kari Lake issued mass layoff notices Friday to 639 employees of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the federal outlet which owns the Voice of America and through which Congress directs money for other government-funded international networks, such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia.

The vast majority of the job cuts, intended to be a permanent reduction in the size of the workforce, affects Voice of America, the government-owned international network that has beamed news reports to countries under autocratic regimes since World War II.

In a press release, Lake called her action “part of a long-overdue effort to dismantle a bloated, unaccountable bureaucracy.” She said 85% of jobs, or 1,400 positions, had been eliminated in total, in keeping with an executive order in mid-March from President Trump.

Sponsor Message

“For decades,” she added, “American taxpayers have been forced to bankroll an agency that’s been riddled with dysfunction, bias, and waste. That ends now.”

Lake had effectively silenced the Voice of America in March by putting the workforce on leave and also sought to cut off all funding approved by Congress for the other networks. Last month, the agency fired more than 500 contractors.

In the past week, as the conflict between Israel and Iran heated up, Lake brought back dozens of staffers to resurrect the Persian-language service. A significant number of those called back received the layoff notice on Friday too, according to several staffers, including one from the Persian-language newsroom. They spoke to NPR on condition of anonymity, citing fear of repercussions.

This move “spells the death of 83 years of independent journalism that upholds U.S. ideals of democracy and freedom around the world,” three employees suing Lake said in a joint statement. The three staffers are Voice of America White House bureau chief Patsy Widakuswara and Press Freedom Editor Jessica Jerreat and U.S. Agency for Global Media Director of Strategy Kate Neeper.

“We call on Congress to continue its long transition of bipartisan support for VOA,” they said. “Moscow, Beijing, Tehran and extremist groups are flooding the global information space with anti-American propaganda. Do not cede this ground by silencing America’s voice.”

Sponsor Message

They are among those who received the layoff notices. The reduction in force is to take effect Sept. 1.

“The scope of the agency’s actions appears massive and would eviscerate Voice of America’s congressionally mandated role to provide objective news to closed societies and other places around the world,” said Michael Abramowitz, the Voice of America’s director, who had not received a layoff notice by Friday afternoon, but is currently on involuntary paid administrative leave.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks have each sued Lake and the Trump administration as have journalists from Voice of America in separate litigation.

Lake has revived claims that the agency has operated with such poor security that its networks are rife for espionage by foreign powers, assertions made by Trump’s appointee to lead it in 2020, toward the end of his first term.

Lake is set to appear Wednesday at a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which is led by U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, a Florida Republican who is a Trump ally. The title of the hearing is “Spies, Lies and Mismanagement: Examining the U.S. Agency for Global Media’s Downfall.”

“I am not a traitor,” said Anita Powell, Voice of America’s senior White House correspondent before nearly the entire network’s workforce was put on leave by Lake earlier this year. “I dispute this mass mischaracterization of me and my colleagues, who have dedicated years to serving our wonderful country.” She received her own termination letter mid-afternoon Friday.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Must Read

UNAIDS report warns HIV progress at risk as U.S. funding cuts take hold

This plaque inside a medical facility in Pretoria states that it was funded by the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP hide caption toggle caption PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Decades of progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS are in danger of unraveling, the United Nations Aids Agency (UNAIDS)

A harrowing journey to find food in Gaza

Enlarge this image People carrying aid parcels walk along the Salah al-Din road, used by food-seeking Palestinians to reach an aid distribution point set up by the privately-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Eyad Baba/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Eyad Baba/AFP via Getty Images People carrying aid parcels walk along the Salah al-Din road

Brazil’s Lula warns of 50% tariffs on U.S. goods after Trump trade threat

A container ship docked at the Port of Rio de Janeiro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Thursday, July 10, 2025. Dado Galdieri/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Dado Galdieri/Bloomberg via Getty Images RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says the U.S. must respect his country —

Thousands celebrate baby hippo Moo Deng’s first birthday at a Thailand zoo

Baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng eats fruit presented for her first birthday celebration at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, Thursday. Sakchai Lalit/AP hide caption toggle caption Sakchai Lalit/AP CHONBURI, Thailand — Thousands of excited fans flocked to a Thai zoo on Thursday to celebrate the first birthday of Moo Deng, the

South Korean court approves new arrest of former President Yoon Suk Yeol

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, centerm arrives at a court to attend a hearing to review his arrest warrant requested by special prosecutors in Seoul, South Korea Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Kim Hong-Ji/AP/Pool Reuters hide caption toggle caption Kim Hong-Ji/AP/Pool Reuters SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean court early Thursday approved the