More than 600 employees at Voice of America received layoff notices on Friday, June 20, as part of a large-scale reduction in force initiated by the Trump administration.
This move, which affects journalists and support staff alike, is expected to shrink the newsroom’s workforce to under 200—roughly one-seventh of its size at the beginning of 2025. Staff placed on paid leave will remain so until September 1, when their termination becomes official.
This development marks the latest in a series of actions targeting federally funded media under the Trump administration. Just a week earlier, a temporary reinstatement was granted to some members of the network’s Persian-language division due to rising tensions between Israel and Iran. However, at least two of those reinstated also received layoff notices on June 20.
Although employees have no formal avenue to appeal the decision, most continue on enforced leave. Currently, Voice of America operates in just four languages, with radio programming continuing solely in Afghanistan. As recently as February 2025, the organization employed about 1,300 journalists producing content in 49 languages, reaching more than 360 million people around the globe.
Since March 15, the network has been nearly inactive, following an executive order signed by Trump directing its extensive dismantlement. While employees pursued legal action in response, the courts ultimately declined to intervene.
Trump referred to the network as “anti-Trump” and branded it the “Voice of Radical America.” Staff members have pushed back against this characterization, asserting their dedication to unbiased journalism.
