A US court has temporarily blocked the suspension of media outlet Voice of America, initiated by the US President Donald Trump’s administration, according to a statement from Reporters Without Borders, one of the plaintiffs in the case.
On 14 March 2025, Trump ordered the termination of federal grants to the US Agency for Global Media, dismantling the federal agency responsible for allocating congressional funding to Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Radio Free Asia. The following day, Voice of America’s staff were abruptly placed on administrative leave. On 23 March, in response, Reporters Without Borders and a coalition of co-plaintiffs filed a lawsuit to challenge the Trump administration’s decision to shut down Voice of America.
On 28 March, US District Judge J. Paul Oetken granted the motion for a temporary restraining order, preventing the Trump administration from proceeding with the liquidation of the public broadcaster.
Reporters Without Borders has welcomed the ruling, vowing to continue the legal battle and urging the government to immediately unfreeze Voice of America’s funding and reinstate its employees.
“RSF’s work to defend journalists and the public’s right to reliable information has been gravely impaired by the elimination of VOA, as it is among the most reliable — if not the only — source of independent information in many parts of the world where RSF and its correspondents operate,” the organization stated.
Clayton Weimers, Executive Director of Reporters Without Borders USA, has emphasized that the fight to save Voice of America and press freedom continues as the Trump administration seeks to strip the world of a reliable source of information.
“We urge the Trump administration to unfreeze funding for VOA immediately and reinstate its employees without further delay,” Weimers said.
Reporters Without Borders General Director Thibaut Bruttin has called the ruling a significant victory for press freedom but warned that the Trump administration’s actions would lead to further legal battles.
“We extend our deepest thoughts to the employees of Voice of America — especially those in danger of losing their lives or their freedom — and to the millions who rely on VOA’s reporting,” Bruttin added.
He also expressed gratitude to the legal teams and praised the courageous Voice of America staff who joined the lawsuit alongside Reporters Without Borders and their unions.
Judge temporarily blocks Trump’s defunding of Radio Free Europe global news media
