More than 1,300 employees of Voice of America (VOA) were placed on administrative leave on Saturday, following President Donald Trump’s directive to dismantle the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and six other federal agencies.
The decision also included a halt in funding for two U.S. news outlets that broadcast to audiences in authoritarian regimes.
Michael Abramowitz, director of VOA, confirmed that nearly the entire workforce of journalists, producers, and assistants had been affected, severely disrupting the operations of the international broadcaster, which transmits news in nearly 50 languages.
“I am deeply saddened that for the first time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced,” Abramowitz said in a post on LinkedIn, saying it has played an important role “in the fight for freedom and democracy around the world.”
In addition to the mass staff suspension, USAGM also cut grants to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia. The two services, which focus on delivering independent news to regions including Russia, Ukraine, China, and North Korea, have served as critical channels of uncensored information.
According to Reuters, Trump’s sweeping directive marks a sharp blow to the agency, which has long provided credible news to millions living under oppressive regimes. VOA, which began broadcasting in 1942 as a counter to Nazi propaganda, currently reaches an estimated 360 million people each week.
The broader USAGM network employs around 3,500 staff and operated with a budget of $886 million in 2024, according to its latest report to Congress.
VOA Seoul Bureau Chief William Gallo said on Sunday that access to his company systems and accounts had been revoked.
“All I’ve ever wanted to do is shoot straight and tell the truth, no matter what government I was covering. If that’s a threat to anyone, so be it,” he said on Bluesky.
Kari Lake, a former television anchor and Trump ally nominated to lead VOA, described the agency as “a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer” and asserted it was “not salvageable.”
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In her statement, Lake, who referred to herself as a USAGM senior adviser, pledged to reduce the agency to the smallest legal framework allowed.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, on its website, cautions Russian users that it has been labelled an “undesirable organization” by the Kremlin, warning that individuals in Russia or occupied Ukrainian territories could face legal consequences for engaging with its content.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky voiced support for the outlets, highlighting their role in supporting press freedom in restrictive regions.
“From Belarus to Iran, from Russia to Afghanistan, RFE and Voice of America are among the few free sources for people living without freedom,” he wrote on X.
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