More than 1,000 full-time employees at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) were affected by layoffs last week, part of a broad austerity measure enforced by President Donald Trump as part of his evolving strategy that involves deep cuts across government agencies and organizations.
The affected workers include journalists at U.S.-funded broadcast outlets like Voice of America, Radio Marti (Cuba), Al Hurra and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The outlets are tasked with providing reliable information to corners of the world where fact-based journalism is difficult, if not completely impossible, to access.
In addition to the layoffs, private grants awarded to contractors who helped operate some external broadcasters were also cut. NPR reported that the severance notices included the signature of Kari Lake, who was nominated by Trump to become the Director General of VOA, but who has served as a special advisor to the president and USAGM while her nomination awaits Congressional approval. It isn’t clear if, as a special advisor, Lake has the legal authority to endorse or revoke contracts on behalf of USAGM or its operations.
On Friday, Trump signed an Executive Order that required seven agencies, including USAGM, to immediately suspend all non-essential activities and employees. The order faces a likely legal challenge, as Congress passed a law five years ago that was intended to remove any sitting president from having a direct impact on the operations of USAGM.
In addition to the layoffs and contract terminations, Lake said she encouraged VOA to cancel a number of relationships with newswire services, including the Associated Press (AP) and Reuters, that allowed the organization to republish their stories and images online and on television.
Last month, VOA’s most-prominent correspondent, Steve Herman, was placed on administrative leave following criticism from some of Trump’s political allies over his news coverage. In particular, Herman’s coverage of federal budgetary and staffing cuts at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) drew the ire of Richard Grenell, an advisor to Trump, because it included a quote from the leader of a progressive organization.
Herman expects to lose his job over the matter, but the agency is required to place him on leave for a period of time before he can be fired. He declined to speak on the record with The Desk when contacted over social media last week, but a source familiar with the matter said he is represented by the American Foreign Service Association. The VOA must actually discipline Herman beyond placing him on leave of absence before the government union is able to file a grievance on his behalf.
