A logo of Radio Free Asia is displayed in its office, following the termination of funding for RFA, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order gutting the government-funded media outlet's parent and six other federal agencies, in Washington, D.C., March 15. © Reuters
(Reuters) -- More than 1,300 Voice of America employees were placed on leave on Saturday and funding for two U.S. news services that broadcast to authoritarian regimes was terminated, one day after President Donald Trump ordered the gutting of the government-funded media outlet's parent and six other federal agencies.
Michael Abramowitz, Voice of America's director, said nearly his entire staff of 1,300 journalists, producers and assistants had been put on administrative leave, crippling a media broadcaster that operates in almost 50 languages.