On May 3, 2025, the Washington Appeals Court approved the suspension of a lower court ruling in a case involving Voice of America (VOA) journalists, temporarily blocking an order that required the reinstatement of employees and the resumption of funding for the U.S.-funded international broadcaster. This ruling comes amid a broader legal battle involving the future of VOA and its employees under the administration of former President Donald Trump.
Earlier on the same day, the non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders and a VOA journalist revealed that the U.S. Department of Justice had notified them that VOA could potentially resume operations next week.
Victory for U.S. Administration: Appeals Court Decision Celebrated
A senior advisor to the Trump administration for the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA, called the Appeals Court’s decision a “great victory” for the administration. The court’s ruling has effectively halted the order that would have required VOA to bring its staff back to work and restart its international broadcasts.
VOA, a U.S.-funded media outlet with a global audience, had been shut down following an order from Trump’s administration. The USAGM was instructed to reduce operations for VOA and other U.S. media outlets, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and six other federally funded agencies, in compliance with a law that mandates limited operations during fiscal downturns.
Legal Battle and Staff Layoffs at VOA
The legal conflict began when VOA filed a lawsuit on March 21, 2025, challenging the Trump administration’s efforts to halt its operations. The lawsuit argued that the administration’s actions were unlawful and violated the rights of VOA employees and the broader public.
In response, USAGM suspended more than 1,000 employees and terminated contracts with approximately 600 freelancers, marking the first time in VOA’s history since its establishment in 1942 that it ceased broadcasting altogether.
In parallel, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) filed a similar lawsuit, seeking to prevent “irreparable damage” caused by the suspension of funding approved by Congress as part of the USAGM’s efforts to limit RFE/RL’s operations.
Appeals Court Decision on Funding Freeze
On May 2, 2025, the Appeals Court issued a temporary decision to suspend previous rulings, allowing the Trump administration to withhold funding for RFE/RL and other U.S. broadcasters temporarily. This decision was made to allow the court to review requests submitted by the Department of Justice on behalf of USAGM.
The ruling was issued a few days after a federal judge ordered USAGM to release funds to RFE/RL for the month of April 2025, signaling that a resolution in the legal battle was still underway.
The Role of USAGM and Its Impact on Global Broadcasting
The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) is an independent government agency that oversees several media outlets, including VOA, RFE/RL, and others funded by the U.S. government. These outlets broadcast news and information in nearly 50 languages, reaching around 361 million people globally each week.
The current conflict highlights broader debates about the role of government-funded media and its operational freedom. As legal battles continue, journalists, advocates, and lawmakers alike are raising concerns about the potential impacts on free speech and press freedom, both in the U.S. and abroad.
