Judge halts Trump's shutdown of Voice of America
A US court has ordered the Trump administration to restore funding for the Voice of America and other government-backed news outlets, saying the effort to dismantle it violated the law and Constitution.
Over 1,300 VOA employees - including about 1,000 journalists - were put on leave following President Donald Trump's order, that accused the broadcaster of being "anti-Trump" and "radical".
VOA, still primarily a radio service, was set up during World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda, and has become a major global media broadcaster.
Judge Royce Lamberth noted that because of the Trump administration's actions, "VOA is not reporting the news for the first time in its 80-year existence".
Judge Lamberth said the administration acted "without regard to the harm inflicted on employees, contractors, journalists, and media consumers around the world".
The judge found the administration also likely violated the International Broadcasting Act and Congress' power to appropriate funding.
"My colleagues and I are grateful for this ruling. But we know that this is just a small step forward, as the government is likely to appeal," said Patsy Widakuswara, the VOA White House bureau chief and a lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.
"We are committed to continuing to fight against what we believe is the administration's unlawful silencing of VOA until we can return to our congressional mandate: to tell America's stories with factual, balanced, and comprehensive, reporting," she said.
Trump has long criticised VOA as part of his broader attacks against the media, and often accused mainstream news outlets of being biased against him.
In March, Trump ordered that the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA and also funds non-profit entities such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, be "eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law".
A different judge in New York placed a temporary block on the executive order after a coalition of journalists, media advocacy groups, and unions filed lawsuits.
The New York judge said VOA, which is funded by Congress, has a legislative mandate to deliver quality news to a global audience. The Trump administration, the judge wrote, did not have the authority to shut it down.
"It is hard to fathom a more straightforward display of arbitrary and capricious actions than the Defendants' actions here," the judge wrote.
USAGM and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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