A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore all jobs and funding for the Voice of America and other US-backed news outlets, ruling that efforts to dismantle it violated the law and Constitution.
Over 1,300 VOA employees, including about 1,000 journalists, were placed on leave following President Donald Trump’s order. The White House has accused the broadcaster of being “anti-Trump” and “radical”.
VOA, still primarily a radio service, was set up during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda, and has become a major global media broadcaster.
The ruling noted that because of the cuts, “VOA is not reporting the news for the first time in its 80-year existence”.
Judge Royce Lamberth said the administration acted “without regard to the harm inflicted on employees, contractors, journalists, and media consumers around the world”.
He ordered the administration to take steps to restore employees and contractors to the jobs they had prior to the executive order, and to do the same for Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks.
The judge found the administration also likely violated the International Broadcasting Act and Congress’ power to appropriate funding.
“My colleagues and I are grateful for this ruling. But we know that this is just a small step forward, as the government is likely to appeal,” said Patsy Widakuswara, the VOA White House bureau chief and a lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.
“We are committed to continuing to fight against what we believe is the administration’s unlawful silencing of VOA until we can return to our congressional mandate: to tell America’s stories with factual, balanced, and comprehensive, reporting,” she said.
Trump has long criticised VOA as part of his broader attacks against the media, frequently accusing mainstream outlets of bias.
After taking office in January, he appointed a political ally, Kari Lake, to run VOA. Lake has previously supported Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him.
In March, Trump ordered the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA and funds outlets like Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
A separate judge in New York temporarily blocked the executive order after journalists, advocacy groups and unions sued, arguing the move was unlawful.
Judge Lamberth, who is based in Washington, DC, ruled the Trump administration lacked the authority to shutter VOA, which is funded by Congress and has a legislative mandate to deliver credible news globally.
“It is hard to fathom a more straightforward display of arbitrary and capricious actions than the Defendants’ actions here,” he wrote.
USAGM and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
By BBC News
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