NYT: More than 600 Voice of America staffers receive layoff notices
On Friday, June 20, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump sent notices of dismissal to more than 600 Voice of America employees. This was reported by The New York Times.
The layoffs will reduce the news organization's staff to less than 200 people, about one-seventh of the number of employees at the beginning of 2025.
Voice of America journalists and technical staff will be on paid leave until September 1, after which they will be fired.
The media outlet recalled that last week the Trump administration asked some Persian service employees to return to work after the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran. However, at least two Voice of America journalists who were called back from vacation had received notices of dismissal the day before.
The NYT noted that Voice of America now provides news in only four languages and has radio broadcasts in only one country – Afghanistan. This is a significant reduction compared to February, when it employed about 1,300 journalists broadcasting in 49 languages to an audience of more than 360 million people worldwide.
- On February 9, 2025, billionaire Musk called for the closure of Radio Liberty and Voice of America. The entrepreneur argued that "no one listens to these media anymore".
- On March 14, Trump signed an executive order to cut seven federal agencies, including the Global Media Agency, which runs Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America.
- On March 28, a federal judge temporarily halted the Trump administration's efforts to eliminate Voice of America.