Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump administration’s attempt to defund Radio Free Europe

A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order that prevents the Trump administration from defunding Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), halting efforts to dismantle the media organization.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth issued the order on March 25 afternoon, ruling that the Trump administration’s move to cut funding for RFE/RL lacked sufficient factual basis and likely violated federal law. In his decision, Lamberth stated that the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the government body overseeing the outlet, could not force the shutdown of RFE/RL with minimal explanation, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“The leadership of [United States Agency for Global Media] cannot, with one sentence of reasoning offering virtually no explanation, force RFE/RL to shut down—even if the President has told them to do so,” wrote Lamberth, a judge appointed by former President Ronald Reagan.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing multiple government agencies, including USAGM, to minimize their functions. This directive aimed to significantly reduce the activities of entities like RFE/RL, which has long been a critical voice for independent news, particularly in countries where press freedom is limited.

In response to the executive order, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty filed a lawsuit seeking to block the funding cuts, arguing that such a move would violate the law.

By Vugar Khalilov