Overview
- Kari Lake has submitted a plan to Congress to reduce Voice of America’s workforce from over 1,000 positions to only 18 employees.
- The proposal cites Trump’s March executive order directing the U.S. Agency for Global Media to shrink non-statutory operations to a statutory minimum.
- Under the plan, 33 roles would remain for the Office of Cuba Broadcasting while core programming shifts to feeds from One America News Network.
- Current and former VOA staffers are suing the administration, arguing that the president lacks authority to dismantle the congressionally chartered news service.
- An April federal injunction against the VOA shutdown was paused by an appellate panel, leaving most staff on administrative leave and operations stalled.