Read an update to this story here.
A U.S. District Court Judge on Tuesday granted a request from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty for a temporary restraining order barring the termination of its funding.
The independent international news organization filed a lawsuit last week against the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), saying the funding freeze was unconstitutional. Congress appropriated $77 million to fund RFE/RL’s operations for the rest of the fiscal year. A total of $142.2 million was allocated for RFE/RL for 2025 as a whole.
Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said USAGM did not adequately justify its decision to terminate RFE/RL’s grant, and that forcing RFE/RL to close out its operations while it challenges the agency’s decision would cause “irreparable harm.”
He also noted, “…in keeping with Congress’s longstanding determination, the continued operation of RFE/RL is in the public interest,” according to a press release from RFE/RL.
The cut in funding for RFE/RL, which employs more than a thousand journalists creating content spanning 27 languages across 23 countries, was part of an effort by the Trump Administration to shut down Voice of America and dismantle other state-funded news agencies.
According to the lawsuit, USAGM informed RFE/RL that it would not disburse congressionally-appropriated funds to RFE/RL from March 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2025.
[Related: “‘Rather Brash’: Jeff White on the USAGM Shutdowns“]
Shortly before Tuesday’s hearing, USAGM told the court it will take immediate steps to disburse $7.5 million, which is equivalent to two weeks of operations. However, the hearing still went forward considering RFE/RL’s request for a temporary restraining order to forestall closing out its operations.
RFE/RL in its lawsuit says the agency is defying Congress by withholding the funding. The pro-democracy broadcaster says the next step is a decision on its request for a preliminary injunction, requiring USAGM to provide the remainder of Congress’ appropriated funding for the rest of the fiscal year. The court is expected to rule on that in the coming weeks.
RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said in a prepared statement that the group appreciates the judge’s decision.
“This ruling further sends a strong message to our journalists around the world: Their mission as designed by Congress is a worthy and valuable one and should continue,” Capus said. “For 75 years, RFE/RL has been closely aligned with American national security interests by fighting censorship in many of the world’s most repressive societies.”
Radio Free Europe first started broadcasting to Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria in 1950, while Radio Liberty started broadcasting to the Soviet Union in 1953.
The international broadcaster is a private, not-for-profit organization incorporated in Delaware.
Meanwhile, USAGM is a federal agency that administers grants supporting the United States’ international broadcasting efforts.
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