Kari Lake Offers “Fork in the Road” Buyout to USAGM Employees Amid Mass Firings
Kari Lake, the unapologetic MAGA firebrand and current Special Advisor at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), has officially rolled out a “Deferred Resignation Program” (DRP) to agency employees—a clear signal that the long-anticipated mass layoffs are imminent.
The program, which Lake announced in coordination with President Trump’s federal workforce overhaul, offers what many are calling a generous off-ramp to entrenched bureaucrats before deeper restructuring takes effect.
Lake’s “Fork in the Road” Offer
The internal email, obtained by The Gateway Pundit, was sent to all USAGM employees with the subject line:
“USAGM Fork in the Road Opportunity (Deferred Resignation Program)”
The message provides workers with two choices:
- Exit now with six months of full salary and benefits, no work requirements, and eligibility for retirement, or
- Risk being terminated in the coming wave of administrative restructuring.
The window to accept this offer is March 28 through April 9, 2025.
“Employees who choose to participate in the DRP will retain full pay and benefits and will be exempt from in-person work requirements until September 30, 2025, unless they choose to depart earlier.”
In essence, it’s a one-time exit package for employees to walk away quietly and comfortably—before the more disruptive cuts begin.
Lake Sounds the Alarm—With Compassion
Shortly after the email went out, Kari Lake took to X (formerly Twitter) with a direct message to USAGM employees:
“URGENT: Employees of USAGM, please check your email for an urgent message from HR. Have a great weekend.”
While the tone was light, the message behind it was clear: check your inbox and consider your future.
Lake, appointed by President Trump to spearhead reforms within the global media agency—home to outlets like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe—has made no secret of her mission: to root out leftist activism and restore journalistic integrity at taxpayer-funded media institutions.
DOGE and the Future of USAGM
The DRP is part of a wider restructuring campaign orchestrated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Trump’s second-term executive orders. DOGE’s mandate is to shrink bloated agencies, streamline federal staffing, and reallocate funds toward core American priorities.
In recent weeks, DOGE and USAGM have notified the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)—the two major federal employee unions—of upcoming reduction-in-force (RIF) actions.
As one insider put it bluntly:
“The options are pretty clear: take the buyout, or get DOGEd.”
Details: What the DRP Offers
- Eligibility: All full-time employees at USAGM
- Offer Period: March 28 – April 9, 2025
- Benefits:
- Full salary and benefits through September 30, 2025
- No in-person or remote work obligations
- Freedom to seek private sector employment immediately
- Continued eligibility for federal retirement
Employees who wish to participate must simply send an email with:
Subject line: "Resign – [Full Legal Name]"
To: hrcustomerservice@usagm.gov
A supplemental FAQ document titled “Fork in the Road: Frequently Asked Questions” has also been made available to staff to guide their decision.
What Comes Next?
While the buyout program gives employees a peaceful off-ramp, it also marks the beginning of a new phase in Trump’s administrative overhaul. Agencies like USAGM, once viewed as untouchable due to their Cold War-era legacy, are now on the chopping block for what Trump officials see as institutional bias and bureaucratic bloat.
Kari Lake, backed by DOGE and top White House allies, has been unflinching in her mission to reform or remove partisan actors embedded in federal media.
“These are your tax dollars,” one administration source noted. “You shouldn’t be forced to fund political activism under the guise of public journalism.”
Final Thoughts
The Deferred Resignation Program is more than a bureaucratic formality—it’s a symbolic line in the sand. The Trump administration is making it clear: the era of unaccountable, activist-driven government media is over.
For USAGM employees, the message is simple: walk away with dignity and security now—or be prepared for what comes next.
