Voice of America has long been one of America’s most prominent international broadcasters, but it has seemingly fallen from its former heights following moves by the Trump administration, a new report has claimed.
Since returning for a second term, Donald Trump has issued an executive order reducing V.O.A.’s parent agency to the legally required minimum. Journalists who criticized the administration or its policies have also seemingly faced consequences.
Earlier this year, these actions prompted some V.O.A. journalists to file a lawsuit accusing the Trump administration of turning the organization into a voice for propaganda.
According to The New Yorker, V.O.A.’s fall from grace began with Trump firing six of the seven members of the International Broadcasting Advisory Board, which approves the appointment of the head of V.O.A.
He then appointed Kari Lake, a former TV anchorwoman, to run America’s global media operations despite legal restrictions. Lake initially promised to build on the organization’s future while maintaining honest reporting.
However, in a sweeping move, Lake sought to implement Trump’s subsequent executive order slashing V.O.A.’s parent agency to the legally required minimum. More than 1,042 of its 1,147 staffers were placed on paid leave, including several dozen from the Persian Service, which was one of the organization’s largest outlets.
V.O.A. Faces Tighter Reporting Controls After Massive Staff Cuts
The staff cuts were followed by a dismantling of its physical infrastructure, according to the report.
Lake canceled the lease for its new headquarters, while workers at transmitter sites were later instructed to shut down operations, effectively silencing V.O.A. for the first time in 83 years.
Many of V.O.A.’s employees found new jobs, while those who remained were reportedly subjected to greater control over their reporting.
That control has been even more glaring during the war in Iran. The Persian Service, which is expected to report the news, is now required to have “all guest appearances—including live guests, pre-recorded guests, and guests whose soundbites are used in packages” approved by Lake’s appointee, Ali Javanmardi.
Ex-V.O.A. Journalists Open Up About Losing Their Jobs
Those who lost their jobs have been hit hard by the changes, with one former staff member describing in detail the emotional turmoil he was going through.
“Nothing exists anymore,” said an ex-reporter to the outlet. “Our identity was gone in one single second. It was a sudden questioning of my value. Who am I without all of this?”
“I had believed in America,” he continued. “I didn’t care if it was Trump or Biden.”
For some staff, losing their jobs has led to even more difficult changes in their lives, particularly the loss of their right to remain in the country.
“You’ve come to this country to say things you can’t say at home,” said Jessica Jerreat, who ran V.O.A.’s press-freedom desk. “Then, all of a sudden, you lose your visa, and you’re told you have to go back.”
Donald Trump Administration Sued By Ex-V.O.A Journalists
A few bold ex-staffers have taken the fight to Trump with a suit filed in March.
In the filing, they alleged that V.O.A. broadcasts to audiences in Iran, China, North Korea, and Kurdish communities have increasingly reflected White House talking points while downplaying stories the administration would rather avoid.
“Through VOA’s journalism, those living in authoritarian societies get a taste of democracy,” the plaintiffs emphasized in a statement. “Without editorial integrity, VOA will be no different than government mouthpieces our audiences already hear in their own country.”
V.O.A. Staff Remain Suspended Despite Court Order
In the same month the suit was filed, U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered the Trump administration to reinstate more than 1,000 Voice of America employees who had been placed on administrative leave.
The judge ruled that Lake did not have the legal authority to make the move, as she had been appointed to the position without Senate confirmation.
However, the reinstatement requirement has yet to be implemented after a federal appeals court stayed the portion of Lamberth’s ruling requiring the employees to return to work while the administration appealed.
