The move follows Trump's directive to reduce several federal agencies to the minimum level required by law, a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from free press advocates and international media experts.
The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Radio Free Asia, was among the agencies targeted by the order.
Kari Lake, a Trump ally and senior adviser to USAGM, confirmed the layoffs in a post on X, advising employees to check their emails for official notifications.
VOA Director Michael Abramowitz also confirmed the mass layoffs in a statement, saying, 'For the first time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced."
He revealed that nearly all 1,300 VOA employees were placed on leave, effectively crippling a media network that operates in almost 50 languages.
'VOA promotes freedom and democracy around the world by telling America's story and providing objective news, especially for those living under tyranny.'
The sudden cuts also include the termination of USAGM grants to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia, organizations that broadcast news into authoritarian states such as China, North Korea, and Russia. The network's president, Stephen Capus, called the cuts a 'massive gift to America's enemies.'
Critics, including Reporters Without Borders, condemned the move, warning that it undermines America's global leadership in press freedom.
'This is a stark departure from the U.S.'s historic role as a defender of free information,' the organization said in a statement, calling for congressional intervention to restore the media outlets.
The cuts are part of Trump's broader effort to reduce government spending and eliminate agencies he deems inefficient. In addition to USAGM, the executive order targets several smaller federal programs, including the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.
Despite the backlash, Lake defended the move, arguing that USAGM was a 'burden to taxpayers' and needed to be downsized.
'We're doing everything we can to cancel wasteful contracts and save money,' she said in a video message.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
