On the night of August 29 (local time), Acting Executive Director of the US Agency for Global Communications (USAGM) Kari Lake announced that nearly 500 jobs at VOA and many other locations at government-funded international broadcasters will be cut.
In an article on social media X, Lake said that the main purpose of the move is to "help reduce the federal government's bureaucracy, improve agency services and save more taxes for the American people".
Lake stressed that the payroll reduction process is entirely based on the direction of US President Donald Trump, and pledged that USAGM will continue to complete its mission according to its rules.
Lake said USAGM will cut 532 jobs for full-time government employees. According to court records released by the Trump administration on August 28, among those who quit their jobs were 486 VOA employees and 46 employees of other agencies.
"I look forward to taking additional steps in the coming months to improve the operations of a very poor agency and ensure that the voice of the United States is listened to abroad, where that is paramount," Lake added.
Notably, the announcement came just a day after federal Judge Royce Lamberth blocked Ms. Lake from firing VOA Director Michael Abramowitz.
On August 28, Lamberth issued a separate ruling that the Republican administration had failed to prove how it complied with the orders he issued on August 25.
The judge also affirmed that the current VOA head cannot be removed from office without the approval of the majority of members of the International Radio Advisory Board, stressing that the dismissal of Director Abramowitz is "completely against the law".
Previously, in June, the US government sent a notice of laying off more than 600 VOA workers. Accordingly, Director Abramowitz and most of his 1,300 employees continued to be suspended from work after the first time in March, with a decision from President Trump.
At that time, Mr. Abramowitz was also informed that he would be sacked from August 31, but after Mr. Lamberth's verdict, it was still unclear whether this sacking order would still be valid.
Observers say VOA's fate will continue to be uncertain despite Lamberth - who was nominated by former US President Ronald Reagan - being protected by his tough stance and a series of strong moves from the government.
