A US judge has declared most of the drastic cost-cutting measures at the state-financed broadcaster Voice of America (VoA) invalid.
March 18, 2026, 06:34March 18, 2026, 06:34
The judge said that there were legal requirements for the financing and reporting of the foreign broadcaster that could not be met under the conditions imposed by the government. Another judge had previously declared the dismissal of hundreds of VoA journalists to be unlawful.
Donald Trump is again thrown back by a US court.Image: keystone
Last March, US President Donald Trump ordered significant cuts at the broadcaster’s parent company, the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM). The authority is responsible for all government-funded foreign broadcast programs in the USA that are not under the military’s control. This largely includes Voice of America, which as a foreign broadcaster is roughly comparable to Deutsche Welle.
As a result of the austerity program, 1,042 of the authority’s 1,147 full-time employees were furloughed. USAGM boss Kari Lake, who had only recently been appointed by Trump and whose appointment was later declared invalid because she bypassed the Senate when it came to personnel, also ended the collaboration with almost 600 freelancers.
Kari Lake doesn’t believe much in media freedom.Image: keystone
According to media reports, after the court ruling, the more than 1,000 furloughed employees should return to work on Monday. Non-permanent employees are excluded from this.
Judge criticizes head of agency appointed by Trump
In his ruling, the judge emphasized that Congress had set clear guidelines regarding the tasks and funding of USAGM. Accordingly, their broadcasters should report objectively and reliably, covering “every significant region in the world”. In addition to Lake, who has long been known for her propaganda against media outlets that report critically on the government, other people in charge also “openly refused” to fulfill these obligations for almost a year.
Voice of America was founded in 1942 to counter Nazi Germany’s propaganda and bring reliable news to occupied territories. Today this includes several broadcasting services that broadcast programs in dozens of languages. In Germany, the station can no longer be received on linear television or radio because it is primarily aimed at countries with limited press freedom. (sda/dpa)