Trump administration moves to shut down Voice of America

The U.S. government is set to terminate all remaining staff of Voice of America (VOA) this week, according to Politico, citing four sources familiar with the matter.

Earlier this month, nearly 600 employees were let go as part of cuts ordered by President Donald Trump. The new round is expected to affect around 800 people, effectively eliminating the agency’s remaining staff.

One source told Politico the layoffs signal a complete shutdown of VOA operations. The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA, and the White House declined to comment.

The move follows Trump’s March directive to cut funding to seven federal agencies, including USAGM. The White House had accused VOA of promoting “radical propaganda.”

VOA challenged the decision in court, but the lawsuit was dismissed. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported in mid-May that the administration plans to sell the VOA headquarters building in Washington, D.C.

N.Tebrizli