Washington: Hundreds of journalists for Voice of America (VOA) - most of its remaining staff - have been fired by President Donald Trump's administration, effectively shutting down the US-funded news outlet. The administration stated that the layoffs were due to the agency being "riddled with dysfunction, bias and waste."

According to BBC, Steve Herman, VOA's chief national correspondent, described the dismantling of the outlet, which was established during World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda, as a "historic act of self-sabotage." In total, more than 85% of the agency's employees - about 1,400 staff - have lost their jobs since March.

Only 50 employees will remain employed across VOA, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, and VOA's parent company, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). A statement issued by three VOA journalists who have been suing to stop the elimination of the network expressed that the recent firings "spell the death of 83 years of independent journalism that upholds US ideals of democracy and freedom around the world."

The move had been anticipated since March when Trump ordered VOA, as well as USAGM, which oversees VOA and funds outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, to be "eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law." These agencies have gained acclaim and international recognition for their reporting in regions where press freedom is severely restricted or non-existent, including China, Cambodia, Russia, and North Korea.

Dan Robinson, a former VOA news correspondent, expressed in an op-ed last year that the outlet had turned into a "hubris-filled rogue operation often reflecting a leftist bias aligned with partisan national media." Trump's criticisms of VOA are part of his broader attacks against the US media, which studies indicate American news consumers view as highly polarised. The president has also urged his fellow Republicans to remove federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).