President Donald Trump has ordered a reduction of staff at some media organizations funded by the US government, including Voice of America.

Kari Lake, who was appointed as a senior advisor to the US Agency for Global Media by President Trump, made a statement about VOA on her social media platform X account. Lake mentioned that with a decree signed by Trump this morning, the budgets and personnel numbers of some media organizations, including VOA, funded by the US government, will be cut. The decision was made late Friday night, shortly after Congress approved the final funding bill. The decree instructs the functions of the US Agency for Global Media, hosting Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, and Radio Marti, which provides news flow in Spanish to Cuba, to be minimized. As a result, there will be budget cuts and staff reductions at the media organizations affiliated with the agency.

About 1,500 employees of Voice of America have learned through emails that they have been placed on indefinite leave. It is believed that job terminations are the first step in budget reductions, and there is a possibility of the institution being completely shut down. According to the statement from the White House, it is alleged that the institution is against Trump, produces liberal and left-leaning content, some journalists share views against the administration, and it does not classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Voice of America has services in approximately 50 different languages. Those affected by the situation reportedly include Voice of America Turkish.

The decree also includes restrictions to be imposed on Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, and Radio Marti, which provides Spanish news flow to Cuba.