“Today, we took decisive action to effectuate President Trump’s agenda to shrink the out-of-control federal bureaucracy,” Lake said.
“Reduction in Force Termination Notices were sent to 639 employees at USAGM and Voice of America—part of a long-overdue effort to dismantle a bloated, unaccountable bureaucracy. For decades, American taxpayers have been forced to bankroll an agency that’s been riddled with dysfunction, bias, and waste. That ends now. I’m proud to carry out President Trump’s executive order and deliver results that put America First.”
Trump Admin Senior Advisor @KariLake announces mass terminations at US Agency for Global Media⤵️
“USAGM now operates near the statutory minimum; lean and focused. This is a clear example of responsible government—cutting waste, restoring accountability, and delivering on the… pic.twitter.com/MpO2YOcIOF
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) June 20, 2025
This comes after Lake announced plans to terminate 584 employees of USAGM, a majority of whom were from the U.S. government’s international news network, Voice of America (VOA).
“There’s more to come,” she said last month.
As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, Lake announced her plans in February to downsize the agency. In March, she put the unions on notice that mass layoffs were imminent and extended the offer of a lucrative buyout package for employees.
Lake was previously chosen by the President to be the Director of VOA after a new USAGM CEO is confirmed by the Senate, a process that could take years. The President instead appointed Lake to USAGM as a White House Advisor with exclusive powers over the entire agency that oversees several entities, including VOA, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.
She is scheduled to testify next week before the House Foreign Affairs Committee to highlight more of the USAGM’s failures and national security threats that have been discovered within the agency.
Read the full press release below:
