A U.S. federal appeals court on Saturday blocked a lower court ruling that would have reinstated more than 1,000 Voice of America (VOA) employees who were placed on administrative leave by President Donald Trump’s administration.
In a ruling on April 22, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), VOA’s parent organization, to reinstate the employees.
The judge found that the dissolution of VOA and its sister networks, Radio Free Asia and the Monthly Broadcasting Network, was likely unlawful.
However, the appeals court, in a 2-1 decision, ruled that Lamberth lacked the authority to issue such an order, which also required the return of $15 million in grants to the affected networks.
VOA has been effectively closed since March, when the Trump administration issued an executive order dissolving USAGM. The agency has not resumed normal operations since then.
Numerous reports on Friday indicated that VOA was preparing to resume broadcasting next week. USAGM did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.
Founded during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda, the Voice of America is funded by Congress and broadcasts in 63 languages to audiences in more than 100 countries.
