Trump is cutting 500-plus jobs at Voice of America and its parent agency despite legal challenges

By Michael Kunzelman Associated Press WASHINGTON The agency that oversees Voice of America and other government-funded international broadcasters is eliminating jobs for more than employees a Trump administration official commented The move could ratchet up a monthslong legal challenge over the news outlets fate Kari Lake acting CEO of the U S Agency for Global Media informed the latest round of job cuts late Friday one day after a federal judge blocked her from removing Michael Abramowitz as VOA director Related Articles East Palo Alto housekeeper who fainted when arrested by ICE discharged from Stanford hospital Palestinian president s office urges US to reinstate his visa ahead of key UN meetings African media grills FIFA s Infantino about fans being safe welcome in the US at World Cup Calmes When the president has to say I m not a dictator we re in trouble Appeals court finds Trump s tariffs illegally used emergency power but leaves them in place for now U S District Judge Royce Lamberth had ruled separately that the Republican administration had failed to show how it was complying with his orders to restore VOA s operations His order Monday gave the administration one final opportunity short of a contempt trial to demonstrate its compliance He ordered Lake to sit for a deposition by lawyers for agency employees by Sept On Thursday Lamberth stated Abramowitz could not be removed without the approval of the majority of the International Broadcasting Advisory Board Firing Abramowitz would be plainly contrary to law according to Lamberth who was nominated to the bench by Republican President Ronald Reagan Lake posted a comment on social media that disclosed her agency had initiated a reduction in force or RIF eliminating jobs for full-time establishment employees She noted the agency will continue to fulfill its statutory mission after this RIF and will likely improve its ability to function I look forward to taking additional measures in the coming months to improve the functioning of a very broken agency and make sure America s voice is heard abroad where it matters largest part she wrote A group of agency employees who sued to block VOA s elimination reported Lake s move would give their colleagues days until their pay and benefits end We find Lake s continued attacks on our agency abhorrent they commented in a report We are looking forward to her deposition to hear whether her plan to dismantle VOA was done with the rigorous review process that Congress requires So far we have not seen any evidence of that In June layoff notices were sent to more than agency employees Abramowitz was placed on administrative leave along with almost the entire VOA staff He was reported he would be fired effective Aug The administration explained in a court filing Thursday that it planned to send RIF notices to employees of VOA and other agency employees but intended to retain agency employees and VOA employees The filing noted the global media agency had developing employees and other employees on administrative leave while VOA had evolving employees and others administrative leave The agency also houses Radio Free Europe and Asia and Radio Marti which beams Spanish-language news into Cuba The networks which together reach an estimated million people date to the Cold War and are part of a organization of government-funded organizations trying to extend U S influence and combat authoritarianism