President Donald Trump long has been critical of various U.S. government-funded media projects, such as the public broadcasting network, Voice of America and such.
He’s described them as state-funded propaganda because of their serious leftist bias and advocacy.
And one of his goals for his second term in the White House is the elimination, or at least reduction, of that.
On Friday, a major step was taken in that direction.
Kari Lake, the Trump administration senior adviser working with those projects, confirmed a massive layoff program at the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
The layoffs hit that agency, as well as Voice of America. Hundreds of jobs are being terminated.
“This move follows USAGM’s firing of more than 500 contractors last month. It spells the death of 83 years of independent journalism that upholds U.S. ideals of democracy and freedom around the world,” claimed several VOA staff members who went to court to try to keep their salaries.
It was a victory for Trump.
“When Trump signed an order in March to drastically shrink USAGM and several other federal agencies, the president and his pick to run VOA, Kari Lake, depicted U.S.-funded international broadcasting as biased, bloated and obsolete,” a report from the legacy media claimed.
Trump Admin Senior Advisor @KariLake announces mass terminations at US Agency for Global Media
“USAGM now operates near the statutory minimum; lean and focused. This is a clear example of responsible government—cutting waste, restoring accountability, and delivering on the… pic.twitter.com/MpO2YOcIOF
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) June 20, 2025
BREAKING: Kari Lake just TERMINATED 85% of positions at the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
1,400 total positions terminated.
Before anyone asks. Yes. I voted for this. pic.twitter.com/cNNGZnYfEp
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) June 20, 2025
A report at Just the News said Lake confirmed, “USAGM now operates near the statutory minimum; lean and focused. This is a clear example of responsible government—cutting waste, restoring accountability, and delivering on the promise to put American taxpayers first.”
Lake continued, “Today, we took decisive action to effectuate President Trump’s agenda to shrink the out-of-control federal bureaucracy.”
She explained USAGM sent notices to 639 workers, and that leaves the total workforce at about 1,400, down by more than 80% from years gone by.
Congress separately has been developed a plan that would defund, essentially, PBS, NPR and CPB