The Trump administration has begun mass layoffs at Voice of America (VOA) and other US-funded media, signaling a significant shift in the country’s global broadcasting strategy. The move has raised alarms over press freedom and the role of government-funded media in shaping international narratives.
The cuts began on Sunday, with contract employees receiving termination notices, effective at the end of March. An email, confirmed by multiple sources, instructed them to stop work immediately and barred them from accessing agency buildings or systems. Many of these contractors are foreign nationals, whose visas are now in jeopardy.
Full-time VOA staff remain on administrative leave, but uncertainty looms over their future. Established during World War II, VOA has played a crucial role in countering media censorship across 49 languages. Some of its broadcasts have now been replaced by music due to the absence of new programming.
Sweeping Cuts and Foreign Policy Implications
On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order targeting VOA’s parent agency, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), as part of a broader effort to downsize the federal government. The cuts have also impacted Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Radio Farda, and Alhurra—platforms historically used to counter authoritarian state media in countries like Russia, China, and Iran.
The White House defended the move, stating that “taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda.” However, critics argue that the decision undermines the United States’ ability to counter disinformation from rival powers.
Trump, with input from billionaire Elon Musk, has pursued a strategy of reducing government spending to enable tax cuts. His administration has already dismantled major foreign aid programs and targeted the Education Department for severe cutbacks.
Meanwhile, China and Russia continue expanding their state-funded media operations, offering free content to outlets in the Global South. In response to the VOA cuts, China’s state-run Global Times remarked that “Western media’s monopoly on information is crumbling.”
As VOA faces an uncertain future, press freedom advocates warn that the United States may be ceding its ability to shape global discourse—just as authoritarian regimes double down on their own propaganda efforts.
