VOA Faces Sweeping Layoffs and Headquarters Sale as Trump Administration Accelerates Cuts

The Trump administration has launched a dramatic restructuring of the Voice of America (VOA), dismissing nearly 600 employees and listing the broadcaster’s historic Washington headquarters for “accelerated disposal”, marking the most significant shakeup in the agency’s 80-year history.

Mass Layoffs Strike VOA

On Thursday, according to major US media outlets including The New York Times and The Washington Post, close to 600 contractors were terminated by the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), VOA’s parent organization. This accounts for more than a third of VOA’s total workforce, which numbers about 1,350. Among those being laid off were primarily journalists, editors, and designers. As many as 50 of those affected are on J-1 visas and now face deportation within 30 days.

Nearly 600 contract workers at VOA and USAGM have been laid off, and the headquarters building has been listed for “accelerated disposal.” (AP file photo)

Headquarters Put Up for Sale

On the same day as the layoffs, Bloomberg reported that the Trump administration announced plans to sell the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building, VOA’s headquarters since 1954, as part of a broader push to shrink the federal government’s real estate holdings. The building, located just south of the National Mall, also houses USAGM and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Executive Orders and Editorial Overhaul

Last year, the Biden administration negotiated a 15-year lease for a new, modern headquarters for VOA in Washington. However, in March this year, Kari Lake,  Trump’s senior adviser and his nominee to lead USAGM, canceled the lease, citing Trump’s directive to downsize operations to the minimum as legally required. She said she'd discovered "obscene overspending" of VOA, including a nearly quarter-of-a-billion-dollar lease for a Pennsylvania Avenue high-rise that has no broadcasting facilities to meet the needs of the agency, and a $9 million commission to a private real estate agent with connections.

Even if VOA survives legal and congressional challenges to Trump’s budget cuts, it may lose its permanent office space, leaving its employees and contract staff “homeless”.

Kari Lake, Trump’s senior adviser and his nominee to head USAGM. (IG photo)

Lake has further signaled a shift in editorial direction, indicating that VOA and other federally run broadcasters may be shuttered entirely. In the interim, she has proposed relying on One America News Network (OANN), a pro-Trump cable outlet, to serve as a media platform for government programs.

Wider Property Sell-Off Underway

In recent weeks, other federal properties, including courthouses in Los Angeles and Cleveland, a food safety lab in St. Louis, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development headquarters in Washington, have also been listed for sale.

Bloomberg reported that The General Services Administration (GSA), which acts as the federal government’s real estate agency, had previously listed 443 properties for possible sale, though the list was briefly withdrawn and is now being processed more cautiously. Federal law requires that surplus properties must be offered first to government and nonprofit organizations before being sold to private bidders, but the GSA said the accelerated process allows regulatory requirements to proceed in parallel with buyer inquiries.

Musk Backs Trump’s Anti-VOA Stance

USAGM’s stated mission is to “tell America’s story” and promote democracy and freedom worldwide. In reality, however, it often targets US adversaries with information campaigns, sometimes fueling unrest or supporting “color revolutions.” During his first term, Trump repeatedly criticized VOA for “spending tax money to promote foreign propaganda”. At a press conference on April 15, 2020, he directly singled out VOA, declaring that “things they say are disgusting toward our country.”

Since Trump’s return to the White House, Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have pushed for sweeping government restructuring, including mass layoffs. As early as February, Musk posted on X that VOA and Radio Free Europe were wasting taxpayer funds and should be shut down entirely.

Deep Throat

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Following China's strict export controls on dual-use items including gallium, germanium, antimony, and graphite targeting the United States last year, Beijing in April introduced additional export restrictions on seven categories of medium and heavy rare earth elements.

According to foreign media reports, China is establishing a rare earth export licensing system to comprehensively track production chains, further tightening control over rare earth resources. We're seeing that Beijing flexibly wields economic leverage in ways that would make any trade strategist take notes.

Beijing Tightens the Screws on Critical Materials

Nikkei Asia reported that as rare earth stockpiles are on the verge of depletion, India's automotive manufacturing industry faces enormous pressure, with concerns about production lines grinding to a halt. An Indian industry executive stated that supplier inventories typically last only 3 to 6 weeks, and shortages will soon emerge. He pointed out that China's export license requirements involve complex paperwork and lengthy approval processes. Indian importers must first obtain approval from their own country's Directorate General of Foreign Trade, then submit applications through India's Ministry of External Affairs to the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, with final approval from China's Ministry of Commerce. Currently, more than 20 applications are still awaiting approval.

Another executive revealed that the Indian government is actively responding to the industry's urgent needs, with the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Heavy Industries, and Ministry of External Affairs all intervening, while the Prime Minister's Office is closely monitoring the situation. The Indian Embassy in Beijing is arranging for a delegation of Indian automotive and parts manufacturers to meet with China's Ministry of Commerce, though specific dates have not yet been determined.

Indian Tata Motors. AP file photo

India's Auto Sector Feels the Pinch

India is the world's fourth largest automotive producer. However, it is highly dependent on rare earth and component imports from China. The South China Morning Post noted that India's electric vehicle sales exceeded 1.9 million in number last year, accounting for 3.6% of total domestic vehicle sales, but almost all models rely on components imported from China. In 2024 alone, India imported approximately $7 billion worth of electric vehicle batteries and magnets from China. Although India possesses 6.9 million tonnes of rare earth reserves, its extraction and processing capabilities lag far behind China's advanced refining facilities and efficient supply chains.

The Uncomfortable Reality of Chinese Dependence

Mehra, partner and automotive sector head at market research firm Grant Thornton Bharat, stated that China's rare earth export restrictions have caused delays in India's electric vehicle production, rising costs, and slowed technological development. In 2023, China processed over 200,000 tonnes of rare earths, while India processed only 10,000 tonnes, highlighting the technological gap. Analysts warn that without accelerating autonomous transformation, India may fall behind in the clean energy competition.

Regarding rare earth export controls, at a regular press conference held on June 5, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that China's export control measures comply with international common practices, are non-discriminatory, and do not target specific countries.

A New Normal in Global Trade?

In short, China's rare earth controls affect more than just India. As British media noted, China has introduced a tracking system for the rare earth magnet industry, requiring manufacturers to submit transaction volumes and customer information, indicating that export controls may become a long-term policy aimed at strengthening industry supervision and cracking down on illegal activities. This isn't just about short-term leverage—it's about fundamentally reshaping how global supply chains operate in an era where economic security has become inseparable from national security.