Trump administration efforts to gut government-funded media face pushback in court

Efforts by the Trump administration to gut Congressionally approved funds for agencies overseen by the U.S. Agency for Global Media are facing early legal setbacks, as judges side with agencies and employees in their lawsuits against the government. The rulings present challenges for the Trump administration as it seeks to make broader government cuts as part of its effort to reduce spending through the Department of Government Efficiency. A federal judge recently sided with Voice of America journalists in their lawsuit against the Trump administration. Employees sued USAGM officials for effectively dismantling the five broadcast agencies it supports. The lawsuit was filed to seek relief from efforts to shutter VOA and its sister networks. On March 28, a District Court judge issued a temporary restraining order against USAGM to prevent it from further efforts to shutter VOA. In his ruling, the judge said the executive branch was overstepping its bounds by trying to shutter an agency whose budget was already Congressionally mandated.