In brief
In a drastic move, the Trump administration seeks to terminate approximately 500 employees from Voice of America, a federally funded news agency. The announcement has sparked controversy, with critics arguing this undermines press freedom and suggests government interference in independent journalism. The decision follows accusations from the administration of bias against the outlet, which has played a crucial role in international news dissemination since World War II.
The Trump administration has moved to terminate almost 500 employees of federally funded news organisation Voice of America (VOA).
The step is the latest in President Donald Trump's drive to strip back the outlet, which the White House has accused of being radical.
Acting CEO of VOA's parent agency, Kari Lake, said the decision would help reduce the federal bureaucracy, improve agency service, and save the American people more of their hard-earned money. A union representing employees called the step illegal in a statement to the New York Times.
VOA was set up during World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda, and has become a major global broadcaster.
The outlet is overseen by the Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which said a total of 532 positions would be eliminated. The majority of those employees are from VOA, which would be left with 108 staff, according to a court filing.
In June, Lake announced 639 employees would be terminated, although the notices were later rescinded due to paperwork errors. Some employees also filed lawsuits to block the terminations.
The announcement late on Friday night came a day after a judge ruled the Trump administration had not followed proper procedures in its attempt to fire VOA's director, Michael Abramowitz. The judge also ordered Lake to sit for a deposition, where she would be questioned by lawyers.
The lawsuit was brought by a group of agency employees trying to block attempts to close down VOA.
VOA broadcasts TV, radio and digital content in almost 50 languages and has served as a critical voice, especially in times of global conflict. Critics say Trump's attempts to strip back VOA amount to an attack on press freedom and impact America’s ability to exercise soft power abroad.
