The United States federal court has temporarily ruled against a move by President Donald Trump’s administration to lay off 500 employees of media company, Voice of America.
The court, in a 19-page legal order, condemned an earlier occurrence of over 100 workers in the medium given termination letters, ruling that the planned further sacking which was meant to take effect on September 30, is arbitrary, capricious and not in accordance with the law.
The Presiding Judge, Royce Lamberth, disclosed that the move, spearheaded by a senior adviser to the US Agency for Global Media, Karl Lake, to freeze out government-funded media is a threat to the media in carrying out their duties for more developments in the country.
During the court proceedings yesterday, Lambert also noted that the administration’s plan is a trample on labour rights as enshrined in the country’s constitution.
”The reduction in force announced by defendant, Lake, on or about August 29, 2025, is suspended and may not be implemented until this court has ruled on the plaintiff’s motion,” the judge wrote, referring to further legal proceedings set for next month.
”This court no longer harbours any doubt that defendants lack a plan to comply with the preliminary injunction, and instead have been running out the clock on the fiscal year while remaining in violation of statutory obligations,” Lambert also wrote.
