Dharshini RDA 
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from shutting down Voice of America and firing its 1,300 employees. US District Judge J. Paul Oetken ruled that terminating VOA without congressional approval could be unlawful, ordering a pause until further legal review.
The U.S. Agency for Global Media which oversees VOA and Radio Free Europe planned to terminate 623 employees, effectively dismantling the broadcaster. Founded during World War II to combat propaganda, VOA now operates in over 40 languages.
VOA journalists and unions sued, citing First Amendment violations. Their lawsuit is one of four challenging the shutdown. The administration argued it maintained a legal “statutory minimum” by restoring Cuban broadcasts.
Attorney Andrew Celli called the ruling a “victory for press freedom.” The legal battle continues, shaping the future of U.S. government funded media.
