Particle.news
Download on the App Store
11 ARTICLES
·
4d ago

Trump Administration Fires 600 Voice of America Employees, Moves to Sell Headquarters

The layoffs, affecting over a third of VOA staff, include foreign journalists facing deportation, as legal battles over the agency's future intensify.

Some of the terminations affect J-1 visa holders who will have to leave the country within 30 days, according to advocacy group Save VOA
Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • Nearly 600 contractors, representing more than a third of Voice of America’s workforce, were terminated by the Trump administration on May 15.
  • The layoffs primarily targeted journalists, including J-1 visa holders who now face deportation within 30 days, raising concerns for their safety in authoritarian home countries.
  • The Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building, housing VOA’s headquarters, has been listed for expedited sale as part of broader downsizing efforts by the administration.
  • Legal challenges against the defunding and terminations continue, with VOA leadership and employees arguing the cuts violate court orders to maintain robust news operations.
  • Senior adviser Kari Lake defended the actions as part of a strategy to reduce federal bureaucracy, while President Trump labeled VOA “the voice of radical America.”