VOA Contractors Notified of Lay-Offs

The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S.-funded international broadcasters, laid off more than 500 independent contractors on Friday, affecting editorial, production, and administrative roles at VOA. These layoffs followed a series of legal and administrative developments tied to an executive order from President Donald Trump aimed at reducing USAGM operations.

The layoffs targeted personal service contractors (PSCs), including on-air broadcasters (field reporters, news anchors), and behind-the-scenes staff (news photographers, technicians, editors, writers).

Termination notices were issued Friday, nearly two weeks after a May 3, 2025, appeals court ruling partially reversed a lower court decision that had reinstated over 1,000 workers and contractors.

The layoffs stem from a March 14, 2025, executive order by Trump directing USAGM and other agencies to reduce non-essential operations to the minimum required by law. This led to over 1,300 VOA employees being placed on administrative leave in March, with contractors receiving termination notices effective March 31. A federal district court ruling on April 22 briefly restored staff and contractors, but the May 3 appeals court decision (2-1, with Trump-appointed judges in the majority) allowed the Trump administration to proceed with layoffs and funding cuts, citing the district court’s lack of jurisdiction.

The layoffs affected VOA’s ability to deliver news in 49 languages to its 361 million weekly global audience. Some broadcasts shifted to music or reruns, though certain journalists continued working despite uncertainty about pay. The cuts also disrupted VOA’s partnerships with news wires like the Associated Press and Reuters, which Kari Lake, a USAGM senior adviser, estimated would save $53 million.