A judge has blocked the Trump administration from shutting down a federally funded radio network that produces independent news in countries that restrict press freedom.
The judge, Royce C. Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, issued a temporary restraining order blocking attempts to switch off Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) on Thursday.
RFE/RL was launched in 1950, in the early years of the Cold War, to counter Soviet propaganda and promote democracy. It provides reporting in 27 languages to serve audiences in 23 countries.
“For 75 years, RFE/RL has been closely aligned with American national security interests by fighting censorship and propaganda in many of the world’s most repressive societies,” chief executive Steve Capus said in a press statement earlier this week.
The dispute arose after Kari Lake, a close political ally of President Donald Trump appointed to oversee the Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent body for the U.S-funded international news broadcaster, ordered an end to all funding for RFE/RL on March 15, despite Congress allocating $142 million for its 2025 operations.
Trump signed an executive order earlier this month to dismantle the USAGM, a move administration allies like Elon Musk supported. Musk called RFE/RL a “propaganda agency.”
RFE/RL faced the loss of all federal funding. However, Judge Lamberth said the move lacked legal justification following a lawsuit on March 18, arguing that the funding cut was unconstitutional.
The ruling on Thursday offers temporary relief for RFE/RL, but the broader legal battle continues. Other U.S.-funded broadcasters, like Radio Free Asia and Voice of America, are also fighting cuts with lawsuits challenging the administration’s moves to reshape government-backed media.
RFE/RL was launched in 1950, in the early years of the Cold War, to counter Soviet propaganda and promote democracy. It provides reporting in 27 languages to serve audiences in 23 countries.
“For 75 years, RFE/RL has been closely aligned with American national security interests by fighting censorship and propaganda in many of the world’s most repressive societies,” chief executive Steve Capus said in a press statement earlier this week.
The dispute arose after Kari Lake, a close political ally of President Donald Trump appointed to oversee the Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent body for the U.S-funded international news broadcaster, ordered an end to all funding for RFE/RL on March 15, despite Congress allocating $142 million for its 2025 operations.
Trump signed an executive order earlier this month to dismantle the USAGM, a move administration allies like Elon Musk supported. Musk called RFE/RL a “propaganda agency.”
RFE/RL faced the loss of all federal funding. However, Judge Lamberth said the move lacked legal justification following a lawsuit on March 18, arguing that the funding cut was unconstitutional.
The ruling on Thursday offers temporary relief for RFE/RL, but the broader legal battle continues. Other U.S.-funded broadcasters, like Radio Free Asia and Voice of America, are also fighting cuts with lawsuits challenging the administration’s moves to reshape government-backed media.
More In Society MORE...
