Kari Lake just gutted the U.S. Agency for Global Media, slashing 85% of its workforce in a bold move that’s got bureaucrats trembling. As Senior Advisor, she’s wielding President Donald Trump’s executive order like a scalpel, carving away what she calls a bloated, biased mess. It’s a conservative dream come true, but the fallout’s bound to sting.

Lake announced the elimination of 1,400 jobs, shrinking USAGM and Voice of America to a lean 250 employees to refocus on core statutory functions, as Breitbart reports. This drastic cut aligns with Trump’s March 14 directive to reduce federal bureaucracy to its legal minimum. The agency’s now a shadow of its former self, and Lake’s not apologizing.

Trump’s executive order, titled “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” set the stage for this overhaul. It demanded agencies ditch non-statutory roles and slash staff to bare-bones levels.

Lake took it to heart, and USAGM’s now operating with just 81 statutory employees -- talk about a wake-up call for D.C.’s cozy elites.

Drastic cuts spark controversy

Senior career officials greenlit a plan to downsize USAGM to its statutory core. The agency’s workforce, once sprawling, now stands at a mere 250 across USAGM, Voice of America, and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting. That’s a haircut so severe it’s practically a buzzcut.

Lake personally delivered Reduction in Force notices to 639 employees at USAGM and Voice of America.

“This is about putting America First,” she declared, framing the cuts as a strike against taxpayer-funded excess. But for those 639, it’s less about patriotism and more about pink slips.

Not every program got the axe -- the Office of Cuba Broadcasting emerged unscathed. All 33 employees remain, and its Marathon, Florida, studio continues beaming news into Cuba. Some missions are too critical to touch, even for Lake’s budget-slashing crusade.

Softening the blow

To ease the pain, USAGM rolled out a “Fork in the Road” exit program. It offers full pay through September 30, 2025, plus accrued leave, benefits, and early retirement—an olive branch to soften the blow. Only 163 employees took the deal, leaving many to face an uncertain future.

Lake didn’t stop at jobs -- she also nixed a $250 million lease for a swanky Pennsylvania Avenue high-rise. The building, lacking broadcasting facilities, was a symbol of the agency’s misplaced priorities. Canceling it was a jab at the bureaucrats who thought taxpayers owed them a penthouse view.

“We are dismantling a decades-old slush fund,” Lake said, painting the agency as a liberal media playground.

Her words resonate with conservatives fed up with government waste, but critics argue she’s torching a vital global voice. The truth likely lies in the messy middle -- waste needed trimming, but 85% feels like overkill.

Congressional oversight looms

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene cheered the cuts on X, crediting her DOGE Committee oversight for exposing USAGM’s flaws. “This follows my March letter demanding answers,” she wrote, touting Lake’s work as a win for accountability. Greene’s gloating might fire up the base, but it’s a reminder that Congress is watching closely.

Lake’s set to testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee next week. She’ll face questions about USAGM’s alleged waste, mismanagement, and national security lapses. It’s a chance to defend her cuts -- or get grilled if the committee smells overreach.

“The agency now operates near the statutory minimum,” Lake boasted, calling it lean and focused. Conservatives will eat that up, but skeptics worry a skeleton crew can’t handle global media demands. Stripping an agency to its bones sounds great until you need it to stand tall.

A conservative victory?

“This is how you clean up a federal disaster,” Lake said, tying her work to Trump’s agenda. Her supporters see a long-overdue reckoning for a bloated bureaucracy. Yet, the human cost -- 1,400 jobs gone -- casts a shadow over the victory lap.

The cuts reflect a broader push to shrink government, a hallmark of Trump’s platform. But slashing 85% of an agency risks gutting its ability to function, no matter how “focused” Lake claims it is. Efficiency is one thing; hollowing out a mission is another.

Lake’s overhaul is a gamble -- bold, divisive, and quintessentially MAGA. It’s a middle finger to the progressive agenda, but empathy for those laid off tempers the celebration. Only time will tell if USAGM’s leaner future serves America or leaves it voiceless on the world stage.