Hundreds of Voice of America Employees Receive Layoff Notices

The U.S. government has issued layoff notices to 639 employees of Voice of America (VOA) and its overseeing agency, affecting 85% of its workforce. This move, part of a Trump-led push to dismantle what he calls a bloated and biased bureaucracy, effectively silences VOA’s global news operations. The layoffs include key staff from the Persian service, abruptly removed despite recent broadcasts to Iran. Critics call it the death of 83 years of independent journalism supporting democracy. Lawsuits are ongoing, but many fear VOA’s closure is permanent, with little hope of revival even under a future Democratic administration or Congress.