The Trump administration has announced plans to reduce the workforce of Voice of America (VOA) to just 18 employees, down from approximately 1,000. The significant downsizing was revealed in a letter to Congress obtained by The New York Times and has prompted concern from current and former staff, lawmakers, and media observers.
The proposal, presented by VOA advisor Kari Lake, would maintain only what she described as the “statutory minimum” staffing levels necessary to fulfill VOA’s legal mission. The agency is mandated to serve as a “consistently reliable and authoritative source of news globally,” although there is no specific requirement for how many employees must be maintained to meet that obligation.
The plan would retain just 11 employees to manage VOA’s primary radio and television operations. Additionally, two positions would be preserved for services targeting Iran, two for China, and two for Afghanistan. This would amount to less than 2% of the organization’s staff prior to March 2025.
The move follows a series of layoffs that began after President Donald Trump referred to VOA as “the voice of radical America.” Around one-third of the organization’s employees have been on administrative leave since March, when Trump signed an executive order to restructure the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA and other government-funded international broadcasters.
Like so many agencies, Voice of America started with good intentions but lost sight of its mission
I will not allow taxpayer money to be spent on anti-American propaganda
I joined @ericbolling to discuss what’s next for VOA following @POTUS‘s order to reduce it to the… pic.twitter.com/vAPssLe0s5
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) April 7, 2025
In April, a federal judge ruled that the cuts violated congressional requirements for VOA operations. However, that decision was later overturned by an appellate court, which found that the lower court did not have the authority to reinstate employees. As a result, many VOA staff have remained on leave, uncertain about the future of their roles.
Among those opposing the cuts is Patsy Widakuswara, VOA’s White House bureau chief. Speaking with the Associated Press, she said, “You can’t make staff this size produce content for a global audience of 360 million weekly. It’s comical if it weren’t so tragic. We’re not just losing our jobs and journalism, we are abdicating our voice and influence in the world.” Widakuswara is also one of several journalists pursuing legal action to halt the reduction in force.
In addition to personnel cuts, the administration has begun phasing out VOA’s physical infrastructure. The Washington-area headquarters is being put up for sale, and a lease for a new facility has been canceled. The scope of the reorganization has raised questions about how VOA will be able to maintain its broadcasting capabilities with such a limited team.
In May, Lake announced that the One America News Network (OAN), a media outlet known for its support of President Trump, would begin providing content to VOA and other government-run broadcasting platforms. However, it remains unclear whether any OAN material has actually been used in VOA programming.
🚨ANNOUNCEMENT🚨
“United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) is excited to announce a partnership with One America News Network (OAN) to provide newsfeed services to USAGM networks, including Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB), Radio Martí, and Voice of America (VOA).
This…
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) May 7, 2025
Efforts to obtain further clarification from the White House, VOA, or OAN have so far been unsuccessful, according to The Daily Caller News Foundation.
The proposed staffing changes mark a major shift in the role and capacity of Voice of America, which was founded in 1942 and has historically served as a cornerstone of U.S. public diplomacy and international media outreach. The future of the agency, and whether Congress or the courts will intervene again, remains uncertain.
