Judge blocks Trump from shutting down Voice of America

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore all jobs and funding for Voice of America and other US-backed media outlets, ruling that efforts to shut it down violate the law and the Constitution.

More than 1,300 Voice of America employees, including about 1,000 journalists, have been furloughed following an order from President Donald Trump. The White House has accused the broadcaster of being "anti-Trump" and "radical," the BBC reports.

Voice of America, still primarily a radio service, was created during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda and has become a major global media broadcaster.

The decision noted that due to the cuts, "Voice of America is not reporting the news for the first time in its 80-year existence."

Judge Royce Lamberth said the administration acted "without regard to the harm caused to employees, contractors, journalists and media consumers around the world."

He has ordered the administration to take steps to restore employees and contractors to the jobs they had before the executive order, and to do the same for Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks.

According to the judge, the administration also violated the International Broadcasting Act and Congress's power to appropriate funding.

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"My colleagues and I are grateful for this decision. But we know this is only a small step forward, as the government will likely appeal," said Patsy Widakuswara, the chief of the Voice of America White House bureau.

Trump has long criticized the Voice of America as part of his broader attacks on the media, often accusing the mainstream media of bias.

However, Judge Lamberth, who is based in Washington, DC, ruled that the Trump administration lacked the authority to shut down the Voice of America, which is funded by Congress and has a legislative mandate to provide reliable news worldwide.