A federal judge in Washington has ordered the Trump administration to pause mass layoffs at the agency overseeing Voice of America (VOA), sharply criticizing officials for showing “concerning disrespect” toward the court’s directives.
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth issued the order on Monday, blocking the elimination of 532 full-time positions—nearly the entire workforce of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM)—while he determines whether the agency has complied with an injunction he granted in April. That injunction required VOA to uphold its mandate as a “consistently reliable and authoritative source of news.”
VOA broadcasts were abruptly halted in March under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. Lamberth, in his ruling, said he has “no doubt” that the defendants, including USAGM and acting CEO Kari Lake, “lack a plan to comply with the preliminary injunction.” Instead, he accused them of “running out the clock on the fiscal year while remaining in violation” of VOA’s legal obligations.
Neither the White House, USAGM, nor attorneys representing the employees who sued over the cuts immediately commented on the decision.
Trump, who frequently clashed with VOA during his first term, appointed Lake—a former TV anchor and outspoken supporter—to lead the agency in his second. Lake has often accused mainstream media of harboring bias against the president.
Founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda, VOA now reaches an estimated 360 million people weekly, according to a 2024 USAGM report to Congress.
Lamberth, a Reagan appointee, is currently presiding over multiple lawsuits challenging the legality of Trump’s March executive order, including one filed by VOA director Michael Abramowitz.
Source: Reuters
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