Court Ruling on Voice of America Sparks Independence Controversy

The Trump administration secured a major legal victory as a federal appeals court blocked a lower court’s order that would have forced Voice of America employees back to work. This decision upholds the President’s efforts to overhaul what many conservatives consider a wasteful and inefficient government media operation.

At a glance:

• Federal appeals court ruled against allowing Voice of America (VOA) employees to return to work
• Court’s 2-1 decision prioritizes executive authority in federal employment decisions
• VOA has been silent since March following President Trump’s executive order
• Over 1,000 employees were placed on leave and 600 contractors terminated
• Kari Lake praised the ruling as “a huge victory for President Trump”

Appeals Court Delivers Win for Trump Administration

In a significant legal victory for President Donald Trump, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has granted a stay on a lower court’s order that would have required the reinstatement of over 1,000 Voice of America employees. The appeals court ruled 2-1 that U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth likely lacked jurisdiction when ordering the Trump administration to restore VOA staff and resume broadcasting operations.

The decision allows the Trump administration to continue its restructuring efforts at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America and other government-funded international broadcasters. This ruling supports President Trump’s March 14 executive order that effectively shut down VOA operations, placing approximately 1,300 employees on administrative leave and terminating hundreds of contractor agreements.

A federal appeals court has blocked a ruling that had ordered the Trump administration to allow Voice of America (VOA) to go back on air.https://t.co/WTsc5y7zGU

— DW News (@dwnews) May 4, 2025

Kari Lake Celebrates “Huge Victory” for Presidential Authority

Kari Lake, appointed by President Trump to oversee USAGM, enthusiastically praised the appellate court’s decision on social media. “BIG WIN in our legal cases at USAGM & Voice of America. Huge victory for President Trump and Article II,” Lake wrote, referencing the constitutional powers granted to the executive branch.

“This is a huge victory for President Trump and his Article II powers granted in the United States Constitution. It’s also a victory for the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and VOA,” Lake said about the ruling. The former Arizona gubernatorial candidate also said that the Trump administration can now move forward with its plans to modernize government operations and reduce waste, fraud, and abuse within the agency.

The D.C. Circuit just issued a major ruling in favor of the Trump Administration that lifted a stay on the Administration’s decision to terminate contracts and positions at Voice of America. Here is the decision. https://t.co/8BY1Eg05u7

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) May 3, 2025

Dissent Warns of Permanent Damage to Network

The decision was not unanimous, with U.S. Circuit Judge Cornelia Pillard issuing a strong dissent against the majority opinion. Judge Pillard warned that the stay “all but guarantees that the networks will no longer exist in any meaningful form by the time this case is fully adjudicated,” expressing concern about the long-term viability of VOA and other affected networks.

The ruling comes after VOA employees had briefly had their computer access restored following Judge Lamberth’s earlier ruling in favor of a preliminary injunction against Trump’s executive order. The appeals court’s stay effectively reverses that temporary reprieve, allowing the administration’s overhaul to continue while the case proceeds through the court system.

However, arguments that the network will be permanently damaged don’t appear to be of much concern to the president, given that his intention is to effectively shut these networks down.