Authority Directs Restoration of VOA Radio Broadcasting
The Trump administration's bold moves to curtail the Voice of America (VOA) were dealt a major blow this week as a federal court judge ordered the administration to restore the service. This setback comes as part of the administration's controversial DOGE cuts, which the VOA decried as illegal when they were ordered in March.
The US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) was targeted by the DOGE's cost-cutting measures, resulting in over 1,000 employees being placed on leave and the termination of 600 contracts. These actions led to the first-ever shutdown of the VOA, a broadcaster established in 1942.
In response, the VOA filed a lawsuit against the administration, alleging a reckless approach to the service, while Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty also took legal action to avoid potential harm to the service. It's worth noting that both VOA and RFE/RL are funded by Congress.
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth issued a preliminary injunction, demanding the administration take immediate steps to reinstate employees and contractors and restore funding to Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Network. Judge Lamberth, overseeing several lawsuits filed by employees and contractors, also required the broadcasters to submit monthly status reports to ensure the administration is adhering to the order.
The ruling, according to Everett Kelley, president for the American Federation of Government Employees, is a victory for the rule of law, freedom of the press, and journalistic integrity. Kelley considered the shutdown attempt as a blatant effort by the administration to silence independent journalists opposing authoritarian regimes.
Late last month, another U.S. District Court Judge, J. Paul Oetken, issued a temporary restraining order barring the Trump administration from taking further action to shutter VOA.
The Trump administration's DOGE cuts, part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have far-reaching implications, with the VOA being one of the most significant targets. Kari Lake, a senior advisor to President Trump and head of the USAGM, has been instrumental in pushing for these cuts, despite a court order to reinstate operations and staff.
Lake proposed VOA receive content from One America News Network, a pro-Trump outlet known for spreading conspiracy theories. The Trump administration has faced numerous legal challenges over these cuts, with labour unions and retirees contesting DOGE's activities in court.
Recently, the US Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration in two cases involving DOGE, permitting DOGE to access Social Security data and relieving transparency obligations, thereby extending a stay on operational transparency orders. However, an earlier appeals court had restricted DOGE's access to certain data, a decision that the Supreme Court's decision overturned. The judicial system has played a crucial role in challenging Trump's policies, with approximately 200 lawsuits filed on various issues, shaping the legal landscape for the administration's initiatives.
- The court's preliminary injunction requires the Trump administration to reinstate the Video of America (VOA) broadcaster's employees and contractors, and restore funding to Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Network.
- The US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) faced cost-cutting measures under the DOGE, which led to the termination of over 1,000 employees and 600 contracts, causing the first-ever shutdown of the VOA.
- In response to these actions, the VOA, which is funded by Congress, filed a lawsuit against the administration, alleging a reckless approach and expressing concerns about the administration's policy-and-legislation regarding media.
- The Trump administration's DOGE cuts, part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have been met with legal challenges, particularly from labour unions and retirees, who argue that these cuts violate the media's general-news content independence and freedom of the press.
