Trump Administration Plans Layoffs for 532 Voice of America Staff Amid Court Dispute

The Trump administration, through Kari Lake, acting CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, has announced plans to lay off more than 500 employees at Voice of America (VOA), intensifying an ongoing legal dispute. This move follows a federal judge's orders blocking Lake from removing VOA's director, Michael Abramowitz, and requiring her to sit for a deposition to assess compliance with court orders to restore VOA's operations. The administration began efforts to reduce VOA's workforce and broadcast languages earlier in the year, citing a desire to focus resources on delivering news to populations under communist regimes. VOA staff and their union have condemned the layoffs and the administration's actions as disregarding the rule of law and federal employees' rights. Legal challenges continue, with courts reinforcing that the administration must adhere to statutory mandates that VOA remain operational and balanced in its American perspective. Despite these challenges, Lake claims the layoffs will improve the agency's functionality and ability to fulfill its mission abroad.