VOA to Resume Broadcasts After Court Blocks Trump-Era Order
Washington, D.C., May 3, 2025 — Voice of America (VOA), the U.S. government-funded international broadcaster, is set to return to the airwaves next week following a major legal ruling that halted efforts by former President Donald Trump to dismantle its parent agency.
The U.S. Court of Appeals issued a decision on Friday blocking an executive order that had significantly disrupted operations at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), VOA’s oversight body. The controversial order, signed in the final weeks of Trump’s administration and recently revived during his current political resurgence, led to the temporary suspension of VOA’s programming and locked staff out of its systems.
In response to the court’s ruling, the Department of Justice confirmed that VOA employees could resume their duties starting Monday. The decision marks a victory for press freedom advocates and USAGM staff who argued that the executive order threatened the editorial independence of U.S. international broadcasting.
VOA’s acting director welcomed the ruling, stating, “This is an important step toward restoring the mission of VOA — to provide accurate, balanced, and comprehensive news to audiences around the world, especially in places where a free press is denied.”
However, while VOA prepares to resume full operations, other broadcasters under USAGM — including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia — remain in limbo due to unresolved funding and legal uncertainties.
The abrupt disruption of VOA services had drawn condemnation from media watchdogs, lawmakers, and foreign service experts, who warned that the absence of credible U.S.-sponsored journalism left an information vacuum in countries vulnerable to authoritarian influence.
As VOA gets ready to go back on the air, observers say the ruling could have long-term implications for the future independence of federally funded media and the legal boundaries of presidential power.