News

Judge suspends Trump administration’s plan to eliminate hundreds of Voice of America jobs

The judge’s ruling preserves the status quo at the agency until he rules on the plaintiffs’ underlying motion to block the reduction in force. (AP | September 29, 2025)

Under Trump, Voice of America is down but not out (The New York Times - October 26, 2025)
Donald Trump suffers legal blow in bid to fire VOA director (Newsweek - October 7, 2025)
Voice of America stops all broadcasting after government shuts down (The New York Times - October 1, 2025)
Judge blocks Kari Lake from laying off over 500 Voice of America staffers (The Washington Post - September 29, 2025)
Kari Lake said she learned of Trump dismantling VOA the day of his order (The Washington Post - September 23, 2025)
Kari Lake lays off hundreds at VOA parent agency amid legal battle (Politico - August 30, 2025)

Growing up with VOA

Two months after Trump dismantled Voice of America, a look back on what was lost (NPR)News services like Voice of America helped save my family (The Wall Street Journal)

Editorials and Analysis

Why the U.S. is losing the battle for hearts and minds

As rivals flood the world with propaganda, Washington is dismantling its best tools to respond. (The Washington Post)

The slashing of Voice of America left a void Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is happy to fill (MSNBC)
World needs voice from America, not China (Boston Herald)
RSF decries Trump administration’s illegal USAGM firings (Reporters without Borders)
A reformed Voice of America is worth saving (Washington Examiner)
US-funded media like Voice of America must be saved and strengthened (The Hill)

We must restore the US Agency for Global Media, not eliminate it By Rep. Young Kim, R-CA (National Review)We need the Voice of America now more than ever By Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Dem.-NH (Foreign Policy)

Fact checks

Kari Lake isn’t telling the truth about the VOA (The Wall Street Journal)

The White House’s flimsy attack on Voice of America (The Washington Post)

International reactions

Russia

RT on the rise as VOA fades (The World)
China and Russia rejoice as the US cuts its global media (Foundation for Defense of Democracies)
Trump mutes Voice of America, makes space for Russian and Chinese influence (France 24)
Kremlin says Trump funding cut for Radio Free Europe is a US internal matter (Reuters)
Russian TV celebrates Trump's 'awesome' move to shut down Voice of America (Newsweek)

Asia

Africa

Video reports

Judge orders Trump administration to restore Voice of America (MSNBC)
VOA journalist Steve Herman on embattled agency: "We got DOGE'd" (Jim Acosta CNN - substack)
Trump's latest round of cuts threatens free media in Asia (ABC News (Australia))
Radio Free Europe sues over US funding cuts | 60 Minutes (60 Minutes)

Support for VOA & USAGM

Organizations that stepped forward in support of U.S. international media

Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism Association for International Broadcasting Association of Foreign Press Correspondents Center for Democracy & Technology Committee to Protect Journalists European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) Forbidden Stories Free Press Freedom of the Press Foundation Global Investigative Journalism Network Global Reporting Centre Index on Censorship International Press Institute International Women’s Media Foundation Military Reporters and Editors National Press Club National Press Photographers Association Nieman Foundation for Journalism PEN America Public Media Alliance Pulitzer Center Radio Television Digital News Association Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Society of Professional Journalists Society of Professional Journalists The Bureau of Investigative Journalism The CFHK Foundation The European Federation of Journalists World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)

News and editorials from around the web about efforts to shut down U.S. international media