Washington DC - President Donald Trump's administration is moving ahead with the sacking of more than 500 Voice of America staff despite ongoing legal battles.

Kari Lake, the acting Chief Executive Officer of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA, on Friday sent layoff notices to 532 employees at the broadcaster, reducing its workforce to only about 100 staff members.

The move could quickly be challenged in court, as legal battles continue over Trump's attempts to gut and dismantle the US' public broadcasters.

Trump initially shuttered VOA in March, but soon faced a court block from a temporary restraining order. In April, US District Court Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that the shutdown broke the law and ordered that funding be restored to VOA and other USAGM networks.

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On Thursday, Lake was also blocked from removing VOA's director, Michael Abramowitz, on the basis that only a Senate-confirmed advisory board has the authority to remove him. She also faces allegations of behavior that is "verging on contempt" of court.

In a statement posted to X on Friday, Lake announced that the USAGM is initiating a "reduction in force" (RIF) at Trump's direction.

"We are conducting this RIF at the President's direction to help reduce the federal bureaucracy, improve agency service, and save the American people more of their hard-earned money," she wrote.

"USAGM will continue to fulfill its statutory mission after this RIF - and will likely improve its ability to function and provide the truth to people across the world who live under murderous Communist governments and other tyrannical regimes."