Trump seeks to reduce over 500 Voice of America staff members despite judicial decision.

Layoffs at Voice of America

• Massive Job Cuts: The Trump administration has announced the layoff of 532 employees from Voice of America (VOA), a federally funded network that provides news in regions with limited press freedom.
• Previous Attempts to Close Newsrooms: In March, the administration attempted to shut down some of VOA's newsrooms, but a court ruling by Judge Royce C. Lamberth mandated the network's continuation.

Impact on Broadcasting

• Reduction in Programming: Following the layoffs, VOA has drastically reduced its broadcasting capabilities, now airing news in only four languages: Persian, Mandarin, Dari, and Pashto, down from 49 languages that reached 360 million people weekly.
• Remaining Staff: Prior to the layoffs, most of the 1,300 journalists at VOA had already been dismissed or were on paid leave, leaving only 100 staff members employed.

Legal and Administrative Challenges

• Court Compliance Issues: Judge Lamberth has expressed concerns over the administration's compliance with his previous ruling, indicating that they appear to be noncompliant.
• Threat of Contempt: Lamberth has ordered acting CEO Kari Lake to provide sworn testimony and has threatened to hold her in contempt for not adhering to court orders, while also blocking the firing of VOA’s Director, Michael Abramowitz, just before the layoffs were announced.