Voice Of America Journalists Placed On Leave After Trump Dismantles 8 Federal Agencies

Journalists at Voice of America (VOA) have been placed on administrative leave one day after President Trump signed an executive order dismantling eight federal agencies, which builds on a prior Trump directive to eliminate elements of the federal government deemed “unnecessary.”

VOA reporters were placed on “administrative leave with full pay and benefits until otherwise notified,” adding that this is “not being done for any disciplinary purpose,” according to The Hill, which received a copy of an internal memo which was sent out by the human resources executive for the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), VOA’s parent company.

VOA workers were also instructed not to enter their work premises or access USAGM internal systems without permission from the HR executive or “prior” permission from their supervisors.

The two-page memo, that was sent just past 9:40 a.m. local time Saturday, came after Trump penned an executive order to gut seven federal agencies, including USAGM, telling them to “reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel.”

“This order continues the reduction in the elements of the Federal bureaucracy that the President has determined are unnecessary,” the order said. -The Hill

Trump’s order also dismantles the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund and the Minority Business Development Agency.

If asked, VOA workers are expected to “immediately” surrender their USAGM badge and press pass, along with “any keys or other official government property, including documents, records, electronic and telephone devices, and other equipment.”

As the Epoch Times notes further, the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which runs Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia, has been in Trump’s crosshairs since his first term. With an annual budget of around $900 million that operates networks broadcasting in more than 60 languages and around 100 countries, USAGM has been a target of criticism from Trump’s allies, who argue it operates with a liberal bias.

The president has nominated Brent Bozell, a conservative media watchdog, to lead the USAGM—though his Senate confirmation is pending.

Meanwhile, Kari Lake, a former news anchor and Arizona gubernatorial candidate, has been tapped to steer VOA. Lake said in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference that she understands why there are calls to dismantle VOA but that she believes it can be improved.

She was sworn in as a senior adviser for the USAGM on March 3, as she awaits further action on her VOA nomination.

In a post on social media on Saturday, Lake said that Trump’s latest executive order affects VOA operations and added that staff should check their emails “immediately.” Already, multiple VOA staff have received emails placing them on administrative leave with full pay and benefits “until otherwise notified.” It was not immediately clear how many employees were affected.

Friday’s executive order builds on Trump’s earlier Feb. 19 directive to reduce the size of the federal government, eliminate non-essential agencies and advisory committees, and minimize statutory functions to the lowest level required by law.

The moves represent the latest steps by Trump to reshape the federal bureaucracy and make its operations leaner. The president has tasked tech entrepreneur Elon Musk with leading that effort in his role as a special government employee in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

So far, the DOGE effort has resulted in potential cuts of more than 100,000 jobs across the 2.3 million-member federal civilian workforce, the freezing of foreign aid, and the cancellation of thousands of contracts and programs, for an estimated savings of $115 billion to taxpayers.

Trump has said he and members of his administration are committed to finding ways to cut federal spending and reform government at a “historic level,” with the president setting a goal for DOGE to identify $2 trillion in wasteful spending before its scheduled dissolution on Independence Day in 2026.

A recent Epoch Times poll showed that readers overwhelmingly support DOGE and its activities, though many called for greater public visibility into its findings—along with demands for accountability for whatever abusive, fraudulent, or wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars that it identifies.