The Trump administration has begun sweeping layoffs at Voice of America (VOA) and other US-funded international broadcasters, a move that signals a broader push to curtail government spending and reshape public media.

According to reports, contractual employees at VOA received termination notices, effective March 31, while full-time staff remain on administrative leave.

The layoffs are part of a broader restructuring that also affects Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and other US-backed outlets aimed at countering authoritarian narratives.

An email sent to contractors, confirmed by multiple sources, stated that they must "cease all work immediately and are not permitted to access any agency buildings or systems." Contractors, who form a significant portion of VOA’s workforce, especially in its non-English language services, now face uncertainty, with many reliant on these jobs for their US visas.

VOA, established during World War II, broadcasts in 49 languages and has long been a key instrument of US soft power, targeting countries with restricted press freedoms. However, in recent years, the agency has come under scrutiny from conservative circles, with Trump himself questioning its independence.

The layoffs follow an executive order signed by Trump on Friday, targeting VOA’s parent body, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), as part of sweeping federal budget cuts. The agency, which had 3,384 employees in 2023, had requested $950 million in funding for the current fiscal year.

Press freedom concerns

The move has sparked concerns among journalists and press freedom advocates. Liam Scott, a VOA reporter covering press freedom and disinformation, confirmed that he too was among those dismissed.

"I've covered press freedom for a long time, and I've never seen something like what's happened in the US over the past couple of months," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter), calling the layoffs part of a broader attack on independent media.

With new programming halted, some VOA services have resorted to playing music in the absence of fresh content.

The White House defended the decision, stating on Saturday that "taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda." The move aligns with Trump’s broader agenda of reducing government expenditure, with recent cuts already impacting foreign development assistance and the Education Department.

The downsizing of US-funded media comes at a time when China and Russia are expanding their state-backed global media presence. China, in particular, has been offering free content to developing countries, challenging Western narratives.

Chinese state-run media were quick to comment on the development, with the Global Times asserting that VOA’s influence had waned. "The monopoly of information held by some traditional Western media is being shattered," an editorial stated, adding that VOA’s narratives would "ultimately become a laughingstock of the times."