The Trump administration’s plan to reduce the scope of the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) hit a legal roadblock this week after a federal judge ruled that the executive order behind the move likely violated federal statutes. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday requiring the administration to reverse staff cuts, restore funding, and halt further efforts to dismantle the agency.
In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the elimination of USAGM “to the maximum extent possible consistent with federal law.” The administration had argued that the agency, which operates international broadcasting networks like Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, and Middle East Broadcasting Networks, had become partisan, unaccountable, and ideologically driven.
Judge Lamberth’s ruling was strongly worded, accusing the administration of executing a sweeping defunding effort without properly evaluating the agency’s statutory responsibilities. “They took immediate and drastic action to slash USAGM, without considering its statutorily or constitutionally required functions,” Lamberth wrote, calling the administration’s approach “arbitrary and capricious.”
The judge also cited possible violations of the Administrative Procedures Act and the International Broadcasting Act, stating that the administration’s actions could cause “irreparable harm” to employees and journalists, and negatively impact “millions of reporters and listeners who depend on USAGM’s programming.”
In response to Trump’s executive order, the agency issued a stark press release declaring itself “not salvageable.” It called the organization “a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer,” and described it as “irretrievably broken,” though it acknowledged that some staffers remained capable and dedicated.
The Trump administration’s concern stems from what it sees as ideological drift in publicly funded media. A White House fact sheet criticized Voice of America for producing segments it described as promoting radical ideologies, including stories on “white privilege” and transgender asylum seekers. Supporters of the president argue that such content reflects a shift away from the agency’s original mission of unbiased global journalism.
Since the executive order was issued, hundreds of contractors affiliated with USAGM and Voice of America ceased operations, either in protest or due to funding uncertainty. Now, with the judge’s ruling, the administration must walk back its actions and reinstate affected personnel and programming grants.
The ruling underscores a persistent struggle between the executive branch’s efforts to trim federal bureaucracy and a judicial system increasingly willing to impose broad interpretations of statutory protections. For those seeking leaner government and less taxpayer-funded ideological media, the ruling signals the uphill battle ahead in reforming entrenched institutions.
