Washington (Reuters) – In a legal move on Tuesday, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the U.S.-funded news outlet established to reach audiences during the Cold War, announced that it had filed a lawsuit against the administration of President Donald Trump to prevent the termination of its federal grant.
The decision by the U.S. Agency for Global Media to end funding for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which broadcasts to Eastern European nations like Russia and Ukraine, as well as Radio Free Asia, which targets audiences in China and North Korea, has sparked widespread criticism from press freedom and human rights advocates.
Over the weekend, more than 1,300 Voice of America employees were placed on leave following Trump’s directive to restructure the government-funded media outlet’s parent organization USAGM and six other federal agencies.
In a statement, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty highlighted that the lawsuit argues that withholding the congressionally approved funds from the media outlet violates federal laws, including the U.S. Constitution’s provision granting exclusive spending authority to Congress.
RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus emphasized, “This is not the time to surrender ground to the propaganda and censorship of America’s adversaries.”
The lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
As part of Trump’s efforts to reduce federal bureaucracy, the administration defended the decision as a cost-cutting measure. Trump ally Elon Musk, who has been leading the drive to cut federal positions, previously called for the closure of RFE/RL in a recent social media post.
Since assuming office in January, Trump has been pushing for budget reductions across various federal agencies, with Musk overseeing this initiative.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s stated mission on its website is to deliver “uncensored, trustworthy news to audiences in 23 nations where press freedom is at risk.”
