The US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America (VOA) and other government-funded international broadcasters, has issued termination notices to more than 500 employees, giving them 30 days before their pay and benefits end.
The development, announced late Friday by USAGM’s acting Chief Executive Officer, Kari Lake, comes amid ongoing legal battles over attempts by the Trump administration to restructure or dismantle the organisation.
Lake, in a statement posted on social media, said the agency had initiated a reduction in force (RIF), eliminating 532 full-time government jobs. She explained that the agency would “continue to fulfill its statutory mission after this RIF– and will likely improve its ability to function.”
“I look forward to taking additional steps in the coming months to improve the functioning of a very broken agency and make sure America’s voice is heard abroad where it matters most,” she said.
The announcement followed a ruling by US District Judge Royce Lamberth, who ordered Lake to sit for a deposition with agency lawyers by Sept. 15.
The judge, nominated to the bench by former President Ronald Reagan, had earlier ruled that VOA Director, Michael Abramowitz, could not be removed without the consent of the International Broadcasting Advisory Board, describing such an action as “plainly contrary to law.”
Employees affected by the cuts described the move as “abhorrent,” vowing to challenge it. “We are looking forward to her deposition to hear whether her plan to dismantle VOA was done with the rigorous review process that Congress requires. So far, we have not seen any evidence of that,” the employees said in a statement.
Earlier in June, more than 600 agency staff were issued layoff notices while Abramowitz and most of VOA’s staff were placed on administrative leave. Abramowitz was later informed that his appointment would be terminated by Aug. 31.
In a separate filing, the agency said 486 VOA employees and 46 staff from other outlets would receive termination notices, while 158 agency staff and 108 VOA workers would be retained.
The agency also supervises Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Middle East Broadcasting Networks, and Radio Martí. Together, these networks reach an estimated 427 million people worldwide.
Critics of the restructuring, including Abramowitz, warned that the layoffs would amount to a “self-inflicted blow” to American national security. He argued that without VOA and its sister agencies, adversaries such as China and Russia would dominate the global information space.
Meanwhile, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the largest public sector trade union in the US, condemned the action, saying it would legally challenge the removal of union protections for affected staff.
The shake-up has also raised concerns about the safety of foreign journalists working with US-backed media outlets, many of whom could face persecution if their employment is terminated and they are forced to return to their countries of origin.