Voice of America Silenced: Over 1,300 Staff Placed on Leave
US Government-funded Media Network Faces Unprecedented Shutdown
In an unprecedented move, more than 1,300 journalists, producers, and support staff of Voice of America (VOA), a US government-funded media network, were placed on administrative leave on Saturday. This decision comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending the funding for the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA and other media organizations.
Impact of the Executive Order
- VOA, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, and Middle East Broadcasting Networks are expected to cease operations due to terminated contracts with operators.
- The federal agency employed around 3,500 media professionals and operated with a budget of $886 million in 2024.
Michael Abramowitz, director of VOA, expressed his sadness in a social media post, stating that “VOA promotes freedom and democracy around the world by telling America’s story and by providing objective and balanced news and information, especially for those living under tyranny.”
Agencies Affected by the Executive Order
- Minority Business Development Agency
- Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
- Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
- US Interagency Council on Homelessness
- Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the Smithsonian Institution
The executive order calls for all federal grants to these agencies to be reviewed and eliminated “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.”
Kari Lake’s Statement on US Agency for Global Media
Kari Lake, a former
