Federal Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that President Trump’s attempt to shut down Voice of America was illegal, dealing a significant setback to the administration’s efforts to overhaul America’s global broadcasting arm.
Quick Takes
- Judge Lamberth ordered the restoration of Voice of America to pre-Trump levels after funding cuts and staff layoffs
- Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks will also be restored, while requests for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty were denied
- Trump ally Kari Lake, who was placed in charge of the Agency for Global Media, called VOA “unsalvageable”
- The administration accused VOA of “leftist bias” and spreading “anti-American propaganda”
- The ruling reinforces Congressional limits on presidential authority over VOA established in 2020
Judge Blocks Trump’s Media Agency Overhaul
A federal judge has dealt a significant blow to President Trump’s efforts to dismantle Voice of America, ruling that the administration illegally halted operations at the international broadcasting service. Judge Royce Lamberth ordered the restoration of VOA to pre-Trump operational levels, reversing what he described as “hasty” and “indiscriminate” funding cuts and staff layoffs. The ruling represents a major setback for the White House’s attempts to reshape America’s global media presence and raises questions about executive authority over federally-funded news organizations.
The court decision also mandated the restoration of Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks’ capacities, though requests for similar relief for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Open Technology Fund were denied. Judge Lamberth’s ruling determined that the administration had improperly used federal funds to dismantle programs it disliked while attempting to enforce ideological compliance across these broadcasting entities. The judge is currently handling multiple court challenges to Trump’s executive order from VOA journalists and press freedom organizations.
NEW: Voice of America, silent for the first tiem in 80 years, must resume operations at level prior to Trump's effort to dismantle it, a fedearl judge ruled, concluding that the effort ot gut it likely violated the law and constitution. https://t.co/dV4TWB93LV pic.twitter.com/5ekGZDxgeD
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 22, 2025
Trump’s Accusations Against VOA
At the center of this dispute is President Trump’s characterization of Voice of America. The administration has repeatedly accused the broadcasting service of maintaining a “leftist bias” instead of projecting “pro-American” views abroad. Trump personally labeled VOA “the voice of radical America” and claimed it spread “anti-American propaganda.” These accusations came without specific evidence but aligned with the administration’s broader criticism of established media institutions it views as hostile to conservative values.
The president placed Kari Lake, a loyal Trump ally, in charge of the Agency for Global Media, VOA’s parent organization. Lake subsequently declared the broadcasting service “unsalvageable” and accused it of “waste, fraud and abuse” without providing specific examples. On March 15, President Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Agency for Global Media, temporarily shuttering Voice of America’s operations after it had broadcast continuously since its founding in 1942 during World War II.
Constitutional Questions and Historical Context
The court battle highlights significant constitutional questions about the limits of presidential power over federally-funded media organizations. Voice of America was founded during World War II as a counter to Nazi propaganda and later projected American viewpoints during the Cold War. In 2020, Congress established VOA as independent and explicitly limited presidential authority over its operations, creating the legal basis for Judge Lamberth’s ruling against the Trump administration’s actions.
The Trump administration’s targeting of VOA appears part of a broader effort to reshape post-war institutions it views as ideologically opposed to its agenda. Similar criticism has been directed at USAID, which Trump ally Elon Musk described as a “viper’s nest of radical left Marxists.” Labor representatives for VOA employees praised Judge Lamberth’s ruling as an affirmation of independent journalism’s critical role in democracy, particularly VOA’s mission to provide news access in regions where free media is limited or non-existent.
Sources:
- US judge blocks Trump’s effort to shutter international news service – DNyuz
- Judge Blocks Trump Effort to Dismantle Voice of America – The New York Times
