Overview

• U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth issued a temporary injunction late Monday, pausing the planned staff cuts until the court decides the case.
• The layoffs, announced by agency head Kari Lake in late August, were scheduled to take effect on September 30.
• Court filings indicate about 500 positions across the U.S. Agency for Global Media, including Voice of America, were slated for elimination.
• Lamberth rebuked the administration for a “disturbing disregard” of prior court orders, including directives to provide information.
• The dispute follows an April ruling restoring programming to uphold VOA’s statutory mission after budget reductions ordered by President Trump in March.