The shocking impact of Donald Trump’s executive order on the oldest news network in the world.
The Trump administration cut more than 500 additional jobs at Voice of America, delivering what could be a fatal blow to the U.S. government-sponsored media outlet that has been repeatedly hit by funding cuts.
Over vehement objections from Democrats, Kari Lake, acting CEO of VOA’s parent company, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, announced the layoffs on Friday in a social media post, The Washington Times
reported.
“We are conducting this (reduction in force) at the President’s direction to help reduce the federal bureaucracy, improve agency service and save the American people more of their hard-earned money,” Lake wrote.
“USAGM will continue to fulfill its statutory mission after this RIF — and will likely improve its ability to function and provide the truth to people across the world who live under murderous communist governments and other tyrannical regimes,” she added.
Lake said 532 full-time VOA positions were eliminated.
“I look forward to taking additional steps in the coming months to improve the functioning of a very broken agency and make sure America’s voice is heard abroad where it matters most,” Lake said.
The cuts are the latest chapter in VOA’s unraveling. The outlet, created during World War II to combat Nazi propaganda, has long served as a platform for U.S. news in parts of the world where a free press is scarce.
But the Trump administration has said the outlet had become a shell of its former self and mostly now serves as another outlet for left-wing propaganda.
In March, nearly all VOA staffers were placed on administrative leave after President Trump issued an executive order dismantling the USAGM. Since then, most of VOA’s publishing channels have been dormant.
Six hundred contractors were let go in May, and hundreds more employees received termination notices in June. Some of those notices were later temporarily rescinded, but Lake, who worked as a journalist in the Phoenix area for decades, had signaled that additional reductions were coming.
Friday’s move appears to complete that process.
The announcement came one day after a federal judge blocked the removal of VOA director Michael Abramowitz. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled Abramowitz could only be removed with the approval of the International Broadcasting Advisory Board.
Employees who have sued to stop the job cuts said the latest firings violate federal law requiring congressional approval.
“We find Lake’s continued attacks on our agency abhorrent,” they said in a statement. “We are looking forward to her deposition to hear whether her plan to dismantle VOA was done with the rigorous review process that Congress requires. So far, we have not seen any evidence of that.”
A longtime Voice of America employee was arrested in July, accused of threatening to kill Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, along with her staff and their families, including a call in which he allegedly vowed to shoot the congresswoman “between the eyes” with an AK-47.
According to the Justice Department, 64-year-old Seth Jason of Edgewater, Maryland, made at least eight threatening phone calls from the government-funded broadcaster between October 2023 and January 2024, the New York Post reported.
“I’m looking forward to your book signing. We are all armed and ready to take care of you,” Jason said in one message for the Georgia Republican lawmaker, federal prosecutors say.
“We’re coming after you and your staff, and we are locked and loaded. We’re going to take you all out,” the call continued. “We’ve got our AK-47s. You’re going to get one between the eyes. Bam, bam, bam.”
The calls “were made from various phone lines connected to studios and control rooms at Voice of America headquarters,” prosecutors added.
Jason was taken into custody by U.S. Capitol Police in coordination with the Anne Arundel County Police Department, where he had served as a volunteer reserve officer since 2016, The Post noted further.
The Employee Humiliated a Poorly Dressed Old Woman in Line — Then One Truth Changed Everything
“You do realize how much time you’re wasting for other people?! Wrong documents again!” — the employee threw out with cold contempt, humiliating the poorly dressed old woman right in front of the entire line. But only a few minutes later, something happened that made the woman bitterly regret her words… 😳
— You do realize how much time you’re wasting for other people?! Wrong documents again! — the employee said irritably, not even trying to hide her contempt…
Old Marta silently pressed a worn blue folder to her chest. She had come to the pension office with only one request — to correct a mistake in the documents because of which several years of her work record had not been counted.
Those years could have increased her pension at least enough so that she would not have to save money on medicine during winter…
— But they told me only these were needed.
But that seemed to irritate the employee named Diana even more.
She demonstratively flipped through the papers, deliberately wasted time, sighed loudly, and rolled her eyes so the whole line could hear:
— At your age, you should already have learned how to prepare documents properly. Go and bring more certificates. Next!
People in the line began to grow nervous. Someone clicked their tongue in annoyance, someone looked at Marta as if she were the one to blame for the delay.
And Diana seemed to enjoy the humiliation — her voice grew louder and her smile more venomous…
Marta slowly stepped aside toward the wall, lowering her head. It looked as if she was about to cry. But a few minutes later, something happened that made Diana turn pale before everyone’s eyes… and silence fell over the line… 😳
Continuation in the first comment 👇👇
A few minutes later, the office doors suddenly opened, and the branch manager, Mr. Roberts, walked in quickly. His face was grim, and in his hands he held a tablet with recordings from the security cameras.
He immediately approached Marta and, to everyone’s surprise, said gently:
— Ma’am, please come forward. Your issue will be resolved right now.
Dead silence filled the room.
Diana tried to explain something, but Roberts did not even let her finish.
— I watched your work for several minutes through the cameras. Instead of helping an elderly person, you decided to boost yourself at her expense by humiliating her in front of the entire line.
The employee’s face changed instantly. Just moments ago confident and arrogant, she now stood pale and confused, unable to raise her eyes.
And then something happened that no one expected…
Roberts personally took Marta’s folder, quickly reviewed the documents, and within minutes it became clear that all the required certificates were there. The mistake was in the office’s own system.
— Her work record must be recalculated immediately, — he said coldly.
Marta could barely hold back her tears. For many long months, he was the first person who had treated her like a human being…
But the hardest blow was still waiting for Diana.
The manager turned to her and said in front of everyone:
— From this moment on, you no longer work here. An employee who humiliates people instead of helping them has no right to hold this position.
Silence hung in the line, and then someone quietly began to applaud Marta…
