Incident
United States: U.S. Agency for Global Media action to shut down Voice of America operations, March 2025
Beginning on March 15, 2025, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the United States federal agency that oversees the government's international broadcasters, placed most of its staff on paid administrative leave and moved to shut down the operations of Voice of America (VOA), the United States government's international broadcaster. Kari Lake, a senior advisor at USAGM, carried out the action under an executive order of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, to reduce the federal bureaucracy. VOA journalists sued on March 21, 2025, and on March 28, 2025, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order, a short-term order made before a full hearing, that barred the agency from reducing its workforce.1
What happened
In March 2025, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, signed an executive order directing federal agencies to reduce their workforce. Kari Lake, installed as a senior advisor at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the federal agency that oversees Voice of America (VOA), moved to shut down VOA's operations. The agency cancelled leases and placed nearly all VOA staff on administrative leave beginning on March 15, 2025.1234
On March 21, 2025, VOA and USAGM journalists, represented in part by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), a union of United States federal employees, sued the Trump administration and Lake. They argued that the shutdown violated the law that establishes VOA's editorial independence.1234
On March 28, 2025, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order requiring the agency to restore operations, in Widakuswara v. Lake. Further staff cuts and litigation continued into 2026, including a March 2026 order returning about 1,000 VOA staff to work.1234
Status as of 2026-09-22: Partly in effect. Litigation over VOA's staffing and operations continued into 2026, with courts repeatedly ordering the agency to restore staff and functions.4
What reason was given
Stated justificationUSAGM said it was complying with the executive order to "reduce the federal bureaucracy" and cutting costs, including by cancelling what it called an "obscenely expensive 15-year lease."2
What changed for reporting
VOA broadcasts to audiences in countries including Iran, China and Russia were interrupted, and hundreds of journalists were placed on leave or laid off.3
Timeline
2025
Who acted
| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Donald Trump | ordered | President of the United States |
| Kari Lake | enforced | Senior Advisor, U.S. Agency for Global Media |
| U.S. Agency for Global Media | enforced | Federal agency overseeing Voice of America |
Outlets and journalists
| Name | Kind | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| Voice of America | outlet | affected |
Sources
- Voice of America journalists sue Trump administration, Kari Lake over shutdown archived copy
- Judge invalidates Trump administration's attempts to dismantle Voice of America archived copy
- USAGM complies with presidential executive order to reduce the federal bureaucracy archived copy
- Voice of America's full-time staff and contractors placed on leave following Trump directive archived copy
- Widakuswara v. Kari Lake, temporary restraining order archived copy
Claims and evidence
Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.
- USAGM began winding down VOA operations and placing staff on leave.
Most USAGM staff affected by this action will be placed on paid-administrative leave beginning Saturday, March 15, 2025, and remain on leave until further notice.
Voice of America journalists sue Trump administration, Kari Lake over shutdown archived copy, NPR, 2025-03-21.Claim 40, checked 2026-09-22. - USAGM said the actions complied with a presidential executive order to shrink the federal bureaucracy.
Obscene over-spending including a nearly quarter-of-a-million-dollar lease for a Pennsylvania Avenue high-rise that has no broadcasting facilities to meet the needs of the agency
Voice of America journalists sue Trump administration, Kari Lake over shutdown archived copy, NPR, 2025-03-21.Claim 41, checked 2026-09-22. - VOA's programming to audiences abroad was interrupted as most staff were placed on administrative leave.
today's action will leave Voice of America unable to carry out its vital mission. That mission is especially critical today, when America's adversaries, like Iran, China, and Russia, are sinking billions of dollars into creating false narratives to discredit the United States.
Judge invalidates Trump administration's attempts to dismantle Voice of America archived copy, American Federation of Government Employees, 2025-03-22.Claim 42, checked 2026-09-22. - A federal judge invalidated the shutdown attempt and ordered VOA operations restored pending litigation.
temporarily enjoined defendants from taking actions to reduce USAGM's workforce (whether employees, contractors, or grantees)
Judge invalidates Trump administration's attempts to dismantle Voice of America archived copy, American Federation of Government Employees, 2025-03-22.Claim 43, checked 2026-09-22.