A U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia judge blocked the Trump administration from dismantling the Voice of America (VOA). The ruling is a result of a lawsuit filed by AFGE and other unions for illegally shutting down the congressionally mandated agency.
In granting a preliminary injunction until the lawsuit is settled, the judge ordered the administration to restore its programming and reinstate employees and contract workers who were terminated or put on administrative leave.
AFGE and allies last month filed a lawsuit after Trump issued an executive order on March 14 eliminating programs within the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which operates VOA, and other unrelated agencies. VOA subsequently placed nearly 1,300 employees on administrative leave and told 500 contractors they would be terminated at the end of March.
VOA was founded in 1942 to combat Nazi propaganda with accurate news and information and played a crucial role in curbing the spread of communism during the Cold War. It provides news, information, and cultural programming to a weekly global audience of more than 354 million in nearly 50 languages through radio, television, social media, and the Internet.
The court’s decision affirmed that the Trump administration unlawfully shut down USAGM. It enshrines that USAGM must fulfill its legally required functions and protects the editorial independence of VOA journalists and other federal media professionals within the agency and newsrooms that receive grants from the agency, such as Radio Free Asia and others.
“Today’s ruling is a victory for the rule of law, for press freedom and journalistic integrity, and for democracy worldwide,” said AFGE President Everett Kelley. “The Trump administration’s illegal attempt to shutter Voice of America and other outlets under the U.S. Agency for Global Media was a transparent effort to silence the voices of patriotic journalists and professionals who have dedicated their careers to spreading the truth and fighting propaganda from lawless authoritarian regimes. This preliminary injunction will allow these employees to get back to work as we continue the fight to preserve their jobs and critical mission.”
In a major victory for AFGE and allies, a district court judge May 9 issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking President Trump’s unconstitutional reorganization of the federal government.
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House Republicans are pursuing at least $50 billion in cuts to Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) benefits to help pay for a $4.5 trillion package of tax cuts that would primarily benefit the rich and large corporations, a priority for President Trump.
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Week 16 saw Trump laying off thousands of workers at Interior and Labor and planning to let go 80,000 VA employees taking care of veterans.
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