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WASHINGTON: Almost the entire staff of Voice of America—over 1,300 employees—has been placed on administrative leave, effectively silencing the media outlet, according to its director, Michael Abramowitz.

"I am deeply saddened that for the first time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced. I learned this morning that virtually the entire staff of Voice of America—more than 1300 journalists, producers and support staff—has been placed on administrative leave today. So have I," Abramowitz said in a statement on LinkedIn.

He also noted that the Voice of America needed reform, and the decision to suspend all employees from work made it impossible for this media outlet to continue its "mission."

US President Donald Trump previously signed an executive order to cut the functions and work of several agencies to the minimum in order to combat bureaucracy, including the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which controls Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (recognised as a foreign agent media outlet and an undesirable organisation in Russia) and Voice of America. According to Trump's decision, some government organisations will have to reduce their functions and employee activities to the minimum provided for by US law.

In February, the head of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), US entrepreneur Elon Musk, called for the closure of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America, saying that "left-wing radical lunatics talking to themselves" work there.