A recent lawsuit has been launched against the Trump administration, accusing it of illegally terminating Voice of America, a news service that has long been essential in delivering U.S. news to global audiences, especially in countries lacking free press. The federal suit was filed in New York by Voice of America journalists, Reporters Without Borders, and various unions, targeting the U.S. Agency for Global Media and Kari Lake, President Trump’s appointee and failed Arizona election candidate.
The lawsuit argues that in many areas worldwide, objective news has disappeared, leaving behind only censored, state-backed media to inform citizens. Lake has publicly criticized the broadcast agency, labeling it as a “giant rot” needing a complete overhaul.
Established during World War II, Voice of America aims to project impartial news, often beamed into authoritarian regions. Congress funds it, protecting its journalistic integrity through a charter. The lawsuit contends that during Trump’s term, the administration unlawfully dismantled operations, responding to Republican accusations of leftist bias within the agency, a claim operators strongly deny.
“We’ve witnessed a chainsaw approach from the Trump administration, hell-bent on shutting the agency down,” the lawsuit maintains. Currently, there’s been no response from the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which supervises Voice of America and allied networks.
In conversation with Newsmax earlier, Lake likened Voice of America to trying to salvage something from a “rotten fish.” On social media, she criticized the Agency for Global Media as a severe drain on taxpayer resources, labeling it a national security risk. She acknowledged isolated instances of competent personnel while condemning it as largely dysfunctional.
Clayton Weimers, of Reporters Without Borders in the U.S., expressed the urgency to safeguard Voice of America and the wider press freedom arena. Meanwhile, Radio Free Asia, a VOA affiliate, has had to furlough 240 staff in Washington, with layoffs affecting 75% of its workforce. The organization is similarly seeking legal remedies to maintain funding, spokesperson Rohit Mahajan announced.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty also litigated this past week, seeking intervention from a Washington court to enforce the release of essential funds from the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Broadcasting in 23 countries in Europe and Asia in 27 languages, RFE/RL emphasized that without Congress-allocated funds, its operations face severe cutbacks, with the threat of losing its organizational identity altogether.