President Donald Trump has used his executive firing powers more times than not during his second term as he continues to clean house at a government scale.

According to Politico, this week, 600 Voice of America contractors were handed their walking papers by the Trump administration, which were sent through its parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

Those who were let go were typically not full-time employees and handled roles in the graphics, editing, and reporting departments. The same is true about the contractors who were fired, which reportedly made up a bulk of those who were let go.

VoA has been a target of the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency, as it was one of several government-affiliated groups that had far too much proverbial fat on the payroll that needed to be trimmed.

What's going on?

Politico obtained an email announcing the firings. The email contained an effective termination time and date, with a final day of May 30.

"The purpose of this notice is to notify you that your Personal Service Contract is hereby terminated for convenience and will be effective, 11:59PM May 30, 2025," the email read.

Many of those terminated were special visa holders, and they will soon be on their way out of the country, short of securing new employment.

Politico noted:

Over 50 people affected by the layoffs are J-1 visa-holders and will likely be forced to leave the country within 30 days of their contracts’ May 30 termination. Those people face an uncertain return to their home countries, where they face possible arrest or worse because of their reporting for VOA. In the letter, USAGM Branch Chief and Contracting Officer J.R. Hill said J-1 visa-holders impacted “can contract HRVisaHelp@usagm.gov.”

VOA Director Michael Abramowitz said he was “heartbroken” to hear of the firings, adding that he believes the situation was "inexplicable … and to my knowledge, no rationale has been provided by USAGM for this decision."

He added, "We will continue to make efforts to help individual PSCs, especially those who face possible return to hostile countries, in any and every way we can during this difficult time."

Long time coming

Trump once referred to the radio station as the "Radical Voice of America," and has long had his sights set on dismantling it.

He appointed Kari Lake to head up -- and clean up -- the agency shortly after he was elected.

The courts ultimately sided with the Trump administration as far as being allowed to dismantle the organization.

Only time will tell if Lake and the Trump administration rebuild it into something not so left-leaning.