U.S. Court Temporarily Halts Closure of Voice of America
Federal judge issues injunction against government actions to dismantle the U.S.-funded international broadcaster.
A U.S. district judge granted a temporary restraining order on Friday, halting the Trump administration's efforts to close Voice of America (VOA), a government-funded global broadcaster.
Judge J. Paul Oetken issued the order in response to a lawsuit filed by VOA employees, their unions, and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in a federal court in New York.
On March 15, the Trump administration suspended journalists from VOA and other U.S.-government-funded media, abruptly freezing operations at long-established outlets deemed vital for countering information offensives from Russia and China.
Clayton Weimers, executive director of RSF in the United States, expressed satisfaction with the judge's decision, stating, "We are very pleased that the judge agreed to freeze any further government action to dismantle Voice of America." He further urged the Trump administration to immediately restore VOA's funding and reinstate its employees without delay.
The government began mass layoffs at VOA and other U.S.-funded media earlier this month as part of broader budget cuts and workforce reductions.
Trump has cut Congress-approved funding for the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the federal agency supervising VOA and other U.S.-funded outlets, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Radio Free Asia, which were established during the Cold War to counter Soviet propaganda and operate in China and North Korea, respectively.
In a related development, another judge previously granted a temporary restraining order against USAGM after RFE/RL challenged the decision to withhold its $77 million budget for 2025. Established during World War II, Voice of America broadcasts in 49 languages worldwide with the mission of reaching countries with limited press freedom.
Amid uncertainty regarding its future, some of VOA’s programming has shifted to music due to the lack of new content.
Both Moscow and Beijing have welcomed the decision to silence U.S.-backed media, which have been regarded as pillars of American soft power influence for decades.
Judge J. Paul Oetken issued the order in response to a lawsuit filed by VOA employees, their unions, and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in a federal court in New York.
On March 15, the Trump administration suspended journalists from VOA and other U.S.-government-funded media, abruptly freezing operations at long-established outlets deemed vital for countering information offensives from Russia and China.
Clayton Weimers, executive director of RSF in the United States, expressed satisfaction with the judge's decision, stating, "We are very pleased that the judge agreed to freeze any further government action to dismantle Voice of America." He further urged the Trump administration to immediately restore VOA's funding and reinstate its employees without delay.
The government began mass layoffs at VOA and other U.S.-funded media earlier this month as part of broader budget cuts and workforce reductions.
Trump has cut Congress-approved funding for the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the federal agency supervising VOA and other U.S.-funded outlets, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Radio Free Asia, which were established during the Cold War to counter Soviet propaganda and operate in China and North Korea, respectively.
In a related development, another judge previously granted a temporary restraining order against USAGM after RFE/RL challenged the decision to withhold its $77 million budget for 2025. Established during World War II, Voice of America broadcasts in 49 languages worldwide with the mission of reaching countries with limited press freedom.
Amid uncertainty regarding its future, some of VOA’s programming has shifted to music due to the lack of new content.
Both Moscow and Beijing have welcomed the decision to silence U.S.-backed media, which have been regarded as pillars of American soft power influence for decades.
