US judge temporarily blocks Trump from firing Voice of America staff

A federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump's administration to pause efforts to shut down Voice of America. This stops the government from firing 1,300 journalists and employees who were placed on leave earlier this month.

U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken stated that the Trump administration cannot unilaterally terminate Voice of America. The programs were approved and funded by Congress, so cutting funds requires congressional approval.

Oetken did not require Voice of America to resume broadcasts. However, he ruled that employees should not be fired until further court proceedings determine if the shutdown was "arbitrary and capricious" under federal law.

Andrew Celli, an attorney for the plaintiffs, called it a victory for press freedom. He said it rebukes an administration that disregards democratic principles.

The U.S. Agency for Global Media oversees Voice of America and other media services. It did not respond immediately to requests for comment on Friday.

The agency had informed unions about plans to terminate 623 Voice of America employees. This number would severely limit any attempt to resume broadcasts as envisioned by Congress.

Voice of America was founded during World War II to combat Nazi propaganda. It now operates in over 40 languages, providing news in countries with limited press freedom. The U.S. Agency for Global Media employs around 3,500 workers with an $886 million budget for 2024.

Voice of America's journalists and their unions sued the U.S. Agency for Global Media last week. They claimed the shutdown violated their First Amendment right to free speech.

This lawsuit is one of four challenges against the Trump administration's attempts to shut down government-funded media programs. Other lawsuits have been filed by Radio Free Europe and a separate group of Voice of America employees.

The U.S. Agency for Global Media argued it did not violate laws governing Voice of America's operations. In court filings, it stated that it reduced operations to a "statutory minimum." This included restoring broadcasts in Cuba and reinstating 33 employees at the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.