ISLAMABAD: A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to shut down Voice of America (VOA), preventing the termination of 1,300 journalists and staff who were placed on leave earlier this month.
US District Judge J. Paul Oetken ruled that the administration could not unilaterally end VOA and other government-funded media programs without congressional approval. While the judge did not order VOA to resume broadcasts, his ruling ensured that employees would not be fired until further legal proceedings determine if the shutdown was unlawful.
Attorney Andrew Celli, representing the plaintiffs, called the decision a major victory for press freedom and the First Amendment. The US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA, Radio Free Europe, and other media outlets, had planned to terminate 623 VOA employees—an action that would have severely impacted operations.
VOA, originally founded during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda, now operates in over 40 languages, providing news in regions lacking a free press. The agency employs approximately 3,500 staff and had an $886 million budget in 2024.
VOA journalists and their unions have sued USAGM, its acting director Victor Morales, and Special Adviser Kari Lake, arguing the shutdown violates First Amendment rights. Other legal challenges have also been filed, including by Radio Free Europe and the Open Technology Fund.
USAGM defended its actions, stating it had only reduced operations to a “statutory minimum,” including restoring broadcasts in Cuba and reinstating 33 employees at the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.
