A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Monday temporarily suspended the Trump administration’s plan to eliminate more than 500 jobs at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America (VOA) and other government-funded broadcasters.
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that the planned reduction in force—set to take effect Tuesday—cannot move forward until he issues a decision on a broader legal challenge. The layoffs, announced last month by acting USAGM CEO Kari Lake, would have affected 532 full-time employees, representing the bulk of the agency’s staff.
Judge Lamberth emphasized that his injunction preserves the status quo, citing concerns that the cuts could undermine earlier court orders requiring the Trump administration to maintain VOA’s programming in line with its statutory mission to provide reliable, fact-based news.
Court Raises Concerns Over Compliance and Respect
This ruling marks the latest in a series of legal setbacks for President Trump’s administration as it seeks to restructure VOA and related broadcasters. Judge Lamberth previously blocked attempts to remove VOA’s director, Michael Abramowitz, and ordered the restoration of programming levels that had been curtailed earlier this year.
In Monday’s order, Lamberth accused the Trump administration of showing “concerning disrespect” toward the court by failing to adequately demonstrate compliance with earlier rulings. Plaintiffs in the case argued that eliminating jobs would make it impossible to enforce the judge’s prior injunction, while government lawyers countered that the lawsuit improperly attempted to micromanage agency operations.
The dispute comes after Trump signed an executive order in March directing USAGM to scale back its functions “to the minimum presence and function required by law.” Shortly afterward, VOA suspended broadcasting for the first time in its 83-year history, placing nearly all staff on administrative leave.
Can VOA Uphold Its Global Role?
USAGM manages multiple outlets, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and Middle East Broadcasting Networks, with a combined reach of more than 400 million people worldwide. Congress appropriated $875 million for the agency in fiscal year 2025, mandating that $260 million be directed specifically to VOA.
Supporters of the network warn that U.S. credibility abroad is at risk if VOA remains sidelined. Representative Young Kim of California noted earlier this year that the cuts could leave “repressive societies” vulnerable to propaganda from authoritarian regimes. “When we are in an information war and we stop broadcasting … they are not going to hear the truth,” she said.
Lake, however, defended the planned cuts, arguing they would ultimately improve the agency’s performance. “I look forward to taking additional steps in the coming months to improve the functioning of a very broken agency and make sure America’s voice is heard abroad where it matters most,” she wrote on social media.
For now, the judge’s ruling means VOA employees will retain their jobs while the legal battle continues over whether the Trump administration’s restructuring plans comply with U.S. law and congressional directives.
