In March the Trump Administration attempted to dismantle the Voice of America by placing all of its 1300 workers on leave. A federal judge subsequently blocked this action. Last Thursday, the administration struck again by openly firing 600 employees, citing the “government’s convenience” as reason for terminations. Trump has described the news outlet as “the voice of radical America.”
The remaining staff has rallied to keep the operation going. Betsy Ross, acting deputy director, said “The Voice of America has been broadcasting truth into authoritarian regimes since 1942. We’re not going to stop now. Especially not now!”
The judge, Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C., had ruled earlier that by removing funding and staff, Trump had likely violated the Constitution by attempting to abduct the powers reserved for the Legislative branch of government. However, with Republicans in control of both chambers, obsequious silence is expected to continue.
Harold Washington, the other remaining senior officer at VOA, elaborated on the organization’s mission. “We continue to follow our mandate of providing accurate, objective, and comprehensive reporting to autocratic countries where the state is suppressing freedom of speech and democratic norms. It pains me that we have reached such a situation in our own. Undaunted, we will turn our radios inward until such time as the United States once again becomes a free democracy.”
Kari Lake, Trump’s special advisor overseeing VOA’s parent organization, claimed the administration would “continue to rightsize the agency and scale back the bloat.” Ms. Lake, a long time Trump ally, unsuccessful candidate for governor and senator in Arizona, 2020 election denier, and conspiracy theorist, added, “Buckle up. There’s more to come.”
Doubling down on efforts to dissolve the unit, the administration put the broadcaster’s office building up for sale. Real estate inquiries have been directed to Trump Properties.
In makeshift offices at the lunch cafeteria in the Smithsonian Museum, Ms. Ross said, “We’ve been broadcasting our message of truth in government in 48 languages. It’s unfortunate that we must now combat our greatest challenge in American English.”
