A federal judge in Washington, D.C. has ordered the Trump administration to reverse its abrupt dismantling of U.S.-funded international broadcasters, requiring the full reinstatement of staff and the restoration of programming at key media outlets.
Judge Royce Lamberth issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday, ruling that the administration violated the law when it moved to shut down the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) in March. The order applies to Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, which had been effectively silenced after over 1,000 employees were placed on administrative leave and hundreds of contractors were terminated.
The judge’s decision stems from six consolidated lawsuits filed by affected workers and contractors. Lamberth concluded that Congress never authorized the executive branch to unilaterally defund or eliminate the agency, noting that President Trump had signed a government funding bill in March that included appropriations for USAGM without taking steps to rescind them.
The court now directs the government to take “all necessary steps” to restore staffing levels, resume radio, television, and digital operations, and provide monthly compliance reports. It also mandates that congressionally approved grant funding be reinstated to ensure these outlets can deliver “accurate, objective, and comprehensive” journalism.
“This is a significant victory for press freedom,” said attorney Andrew Celli, who represents the plaintiffs, according to news reports.
Notably, the ruling excludes Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Open Technology Fund from the injunction, as separate legal actions against those entities are still pending in court.
Voice of America, originally established during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda, has long served as a pillar of U.S. diplomatic engagement, reaching hundreds of millions of listeners worldwide.
The USAGM has not yet released a public statement in response to the court order.