Voice of America (VOA) journalists are set to return to work next week after a federal district court order requiring the Trump administration to restore funding for the international news broadcaster. The decision comes despite ongoing uncertainty, with a federal appeals court pausing parts of the lower court’s ruling that required the administration to revive VOA’s programming levels.
According to Mike Abramowitz, VOA’s director, the Justice Department informed the agency that its access to computer systems was being restored. However, a dissenting judge predicted that this decision would leave deep staff cuts in place and result in VOA’s “silencing” for an extended period.
The Trump administration had cut funding for VOA in March, putting its 1,300 workers on leave and terminating its radio transmitters and wire services. The move came after President Trump accused VOA of being biased against him, labeling it the “voice of radical America.”
A temporary order issued by a federal judge last week required the administration to restore funding for VOA. The Justice Department has since informed VOA’s lawyers that it will follow this order. However, the appeals court’s decision on Saturday has added uncertainty to the situation.
VOA was founded in 1942 and is seen as a vital tool in promoting democracy globally. It broadcasts news in 49 languages to an estimated 360 million people worldwide. The broadcaster has been embroiled in a funding dispute with the Trump administration since March, when President Trump issued an executive order targeting parts of the federal bureaucracy deemed “unnecessary.”
The issue remains unresolved, with VOA’s future uncertain. Despite this, journalists for the organization are expected to return to work next week, and the director has welcomed the development.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/03/us/politics/voice-of-america-reporters-trump.html