The U.S. Agency for Global Media has begun a reduction in force (RIF) eliminating 532 federal positions, according to Kari Lake on X, who said the move comes at the President’s direction to shrink bureaucracy, improve service, and cut costs. Lake added that the agency will continue its statutory mission after the RIF.
The cuts affect the parent agency of Voice of America and other U.S. international broadcasters; related legal fights over leadership and staffing have been unfolding in federal court, as reported by The Washington Post. The agency’s job eliminations total 532 positions, according to the announcement .
Legal and Leadership Context
According to AP News, Acting USAGM CEO Kari Lake announced the latest job cuts late Friday—one day after a federal judge blocked her attempt to remove Voice of America Director Michael Abramowitz.
In a Monday order (court document), U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said the administration has not yet shown compliance with his directives to restore VOA operations, giving it “one final opportunity, short of a contempt trial,” and requiring Lake to sit for a deposition by Sept. 15.
What’s next: Details on unit-by-unit impacts and effective dates were not immediately available; further legal action is possible.
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