Judge Moves to Trump Administration's Shutdown of Voice of America

A federal judge plans to issue a restraining order against the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle Voice of America, marking a key legal setback for the administration's agenda.

U.S. District Court Judge J. Paul Oetken announced plans to issue a temporary restraining order to block the Trump administration's efforts to shut down Voice of America (VOA).
The restraining order follows similar court rulings that restored funding and operations for other U.S.-backed broadcasters like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Voice of America remains offline, and its workforce is on administrative leave, but lawsuits continue to challenge the administration's actions as unconstitutional and harmful to press freedom.
Kari Lake, appointed by President Trump to oversee the U.S. Agency for Global Media, suspended VOA's workforce and terminated funding for other broadcasters, sparking legal and political backlash.
Critics argue the shutdowns undermine U.S. soft power and leave regions vulnerable to authoritarian propaganda without reliable, independent news sources.