Hundreds of staffers were laid off at Voice of America as part of the Trump administration's "long overdue" effort to trim down the "bloated unaccountable bureaucracy" overseeing the outlet, Trump administration senior adviser Kari Lake said Friday.
"USAGM now operates near the statutory minimum; lean and focused. This is a clear example of responsible government — cutting waste, restoring accountability, and delivering on the promise to put American taxpayers first," Lake said in a press release on X.
Lake is a top adviser at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America, the largest U.S. international broadcaster providing news and information in nearly 50 different languages. It is funded by the U.S. Congress.
The move eliminates 1,400 jobs at USAGM, about 85% of the workforce, according to Politico.
Their last day on payroll will be Labor Day.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.