WHITE HOUSE NEWS – Judge demands Trump administration explain Voice of America shutdown despite $260M funding

Ananya Roy, News Writer

A federal judge is demanding the Trump administration explain why Voice of America (VOA) remains largely shut down despite receiving $260 million in congressional funding for 2025. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, in a Wednesday filing, ordered the administration to provide a detailed account of its actions by August 13. “Without more explanation, the court is left to conclude that the defendants are simply trying to run out the clock on the fiscal year,” Lamberth wrote, questioning whether the administration is intentionally sidestepping Congress’s intent.

The order follows widespread layoffs announced in June by Kari Lake, a top official at the U.S. Agency for Global Media and ally of President Trump, who has led efforts to dismantle the English-language broadcaster. Lake, who previously testified before Congress that VOA was “bloated” and misaligned with administration goals, said the cuts were “long overdue.” Critics argue the shutdown represents an ideological purge of government-funded media, while the court’s intervention raises legal questions about executive compliance with congressional appropriations.