Voice of America Journalists Sue Trump Administration Over Worker’s First Amendment Violations

A lawsuit was filed by Voice of America (VOA) journalists and their unions against the Trump administration on the grounds that closing US funded news agencies was a violation of their First Amendment right to free speech. The previous Shutdown was part of a larger effort led by Donald Trump along with Elon Musk to cut spending from the government on programs they believed were out of line with United States interests.

The lawsuit is focused on overturning the decision to shut down the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) which funded the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia. The plaintiffs argue that shutting down USAGM will undermine freedom of the press all over the world, embolden authoritarian regimes and result in diminished access to independent news.

VOA became an important global broadcaster and it was founded during World War II and prior to its shut down it had around 425 million listeners on its platforms each week. The USAGM has not yet responded to the lawsuit but this highlights the growing concerns and issues around government interference in the US for press freedom.