In an explosive move shaking the foundations of U.S. international broadcasting, the administration of President Donald J. Trump has issued termination letters to over 600 staff members of Voice of America (VOA), the U.S.-funded global news outlet renowned for delivering objective journalism since the height of World War II.
At least 639 employees received layoff notices on Friday, abruptly ending their tenures at the historic institution. Among those affected were prominent journalists from VOA’s Persian-language service—some of whom had only just returned from administrative leave to cover developments in Iran following Israel’s recent military escalation.
Their reinstatement, however, was chillingly brief.
According to insiders, three Persian service journalists who stepped outside for a cigarette break on Friday had their security badges confiscated and were barred from re-entering VOA headquarters—an incident symbolic of the broader crackdown taking place.
The purge is part of a sweeping campaign that began months earlier. Since March, over 1,400 workers—roughly 85% of the combined staff of VOA and its parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM)—have been terminated or placed on administrative leave.
Kari Lake, a senior Trump adviser now serving in the agency, defended the mass layoffs as a “necessary housecleaning” of what she characterized as a “corrupt and wasteful bureaucracy.”
“For decades, American taxpayers have been forced to bankroll an agency that’s been riddled with dysfunction, bias and waste,” Lake said in a press statement. “That ends now.”
Founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda, Voice of America became a trusted Cold War weapon, beaming messages of democracy into totalitarian states and repressive regimes. Over the decades, it evolved into a crucial beacon of factual, multilingual reporting for millions around the world—especially in countries where press freedom is under siege.
But critics argue that the Trump administration is now waging an ideological war against independent journalism, not just domestically but globally.
The administration has already moved to cut funding to public broadcasters like PBS and NPR, while simultaneously gutting VOA—raising alarms across the political spectrum.
Even three VOA journalists currently suing the administration over the agency’s controversial restructuring were not spared. All three received pink slips on Friday.
In Africa, the ripple effects have already been devastating. In April, SaharaReporters documented VOA’s mysterious blackout across Nigeria, Ghana, Niger, and Cameroon. Instead of scheduled broadcasts, listeners were greeted with eerie, looping music—prompting widespread confusion and fear.
> “People started calling in, worried that there had been a coup in America,” said Babangida Jibrin, a former journalist with the now-defunct VOA Hausa service.
VOA Hausa had long served as a vital source of credible information in Nigeria’s insurgency-ravaged north and neighboring regions plagued by conflict and misinformation. Its disappearance has left a gaping void.
> “People are now cut off from the world, especially from critical international news,” lamented Moussa Jaharou, a distressed listener from southern Niger. “This is a deliberate silencing of the poor.”
With limited internet connectivity in many rural areas, millions relied on shortwave radio to stay informed. Now, those airwaves have fallen silent.
Back home, outrage over the administration’s aggressive campaign against public institutions is boiling over. More than 1,100 protest rallies, under the rallying cry “Hands Off!”, are scheduled to erupt across all 50 states this weekend.
The protests are being organized by a growing coalition of over 150 advocacy groups, including Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the ACLU, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
The movement is also reportedly targeting what organizers call a “tech-fueled purge” of federal agencies—allegedly masterminded in part by Trump ally and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, according to Yahoo News.
> “What’s happening is not reform—it’s demolition,” said one protest organizer. “This is not just about media; it’s about the soul of democracy itself.”
As Americans brace for a weekend of nationwide demonstrations and global audiences mourn the loss of a trusted news source, one thing remains clear: the battle over Voice of America is no longer just about journalism. It’s about the future of truth.
PIONEER NEWS 