Voice of America gutted by Trump adviser Kari Lake

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.

“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.”

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.