Appeals Court Halts Ruling to Reinstate Voice of America Staff Amid Trump-Era Shutdown

A U.S. federal appeals court has blocked a lower court's ruling that ordered the Trump administration to reinstate over 1,000 Voice of America (VOA) employees and resume suspended broadcasts. The 2-1 decision on Saturday challenges U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth’s April 22 directive, which required the government to take "all necessary steps" to restore staffing and operations at VOA, Radio Free Asia (RFA), and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), including reinstating $15 million in grants.

The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) had placed more than 1,000 employees on leave and notified 600 contractors of termination in March after VOA broadcasts were abruptly halted under a directive from former President Donald Trump. Since March 15, VOA’s website has remained inactive, and affiliated international radio stations have either gone silent or switched to music programming.

While the appeals court did not challenge the part of Lamberth’s ruling requiring the restoration of VOA’s mandated programming levels, it suggested the judge lacked jurisdiction to compel staff reinstatement and grant restoration. USAGM has not issued a comment, but reports indicate VOA may resume some broadcasts next week.

U.S. Circuit Judge Cornelia Pillard dissented, warning the decision could permanently dismantle the networks before the case is resolved. She argued the ruling effectively silences VOA and cripples RFA and MBN’s legal ability to challenge the shutdown.

Trump advisor Kari Lake, who announced the March 15 suspension citing claims of bias and dysfunction, celebrated the appeals court’s decision on social media as a “huge victory.”

Congress had previously mandated the broadcasts by law, prohibiting unilateral executive termination, a point emphasized by Lamberth in his earlier ruling.