VOA Rescinds Layoffs...For Now

Voice of America (VOA) after significant errors were identified in the documentation outlining the terms of the layoffs. These errors could have potentially undermined or significantly delayed President Trump’s broader efforts to overhaul and downsize the federally funded news organization.

The reversal was communicated through an email sent by VOA’s human resources office to its employees, the majority of whom—approximately 90 percent—are union-protected and based in Washington, D.C., according to the layoff plan submitted to Congress earlier this month. 

However, the email clarified that the affected reporters and support staff are not being reinstated to their roles. 

Instead, VOA’s parent organization, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), indicated that it is preparing to conduct another round of layoffs, referred to as a “reduction in force” (RIF), in the near future. 

Originally, hundreds of VOA journalists and support staff had been slated for termination effective September 1.Leading this aggressive restructuring effort is Kari Lake, a prominent Trump ally and senior adviser to the USAGM. In a separate email, Lake reaffirmed her commitment to drastically reducing the agency’s workforce, stating that her plan to cut VOA’s staff by 85 percent “remains unchanged.” 

The administration’s push to scale back VOA’s operations has sparked concerns about the future of the organization’s journalistic independence and its role as a global source of credible, publicly funded news.