A drastic move by the Trump administration has left the Voice of America (VOA) reeling. Hundreds of employees, mostly journalists, have been let go, marking a significant blow to the US-funded news organization. This comes as part of a broader effort to downsize the agency, which the administration claims is plagued by mismanagement, bias, and waste.
The latest round of layoffs has sparked outrage, with VOA’s chief correspondent, Steve Herman, calling it a “historic self-inflicted wound” for the organization. The affected employees include a group of Persian-language journalists who were previously suspended but had just been reinstated following Israel’s attack on Iran. They were reportedly informed of their termination while on a smoke break outside the office.
According to AP reports, the journalists were barred from re-entering the building after receiving the news. The move is seen as a significant escalation of the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the agency, which was established during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda.
Kari Lake, the Trump-appointed head of VOA, defended the decision, stating that it was necessary to implement the president’s policies and reduce the size of the agency. The latest layoffs bring the total number of employees let go to over 1,400, accounting for approximately 85% of the agency’s workforce since March.
Lake noted that only about 50 employees would remain across various VOA departments, as well as the Office of Cuba Broadcasting and the agency’s parent organization, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). The decision has been met with criticism from three VOA journalists who have filed a lawsuit against the administration, seeking to halt the destruction of the news network.
They released a statement condemning the latest layoffs as a “death sentence” for the 83-year-old institution, which has long been a beacon of democratic values and freedom around the world. The move has raised concerns about the future of independent journalism and the ability of the VOA to continue serving as a trusted source of news and information.
Source: bbc