Voice | Pakistan

WASHINGTON: Journalists at the US government-funded broadcaster Voice of America (VOA) have filed a lawsuit accusing the Trump administration of undermining the outlet’s independence and turning it into a tool for political messaging. The complaint, filed on Monday in the US District Court in Washington, focuses on VOA transmissions to audiences in Iran, China, North Korea, and Kurdish regions, alleging that coverage now reflects White House talking points rather than objective reporting. VOA, established during World War II to showcase press freedom and provide reliable news to populations with limited access to independent journalism, is facing strict internal control. According to the lawsuit, Trump loyalists placed in key editorial positions have directed what is reported, including limiting coverage of civilian casualties from US military actions and requiring pre-approval for all guest appearances on Persian, Kurdish, and Afghan services. The US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA, defen...

WASHINGTON: A federal judge has ordered the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) to recall more than 1,000 Voice of America (VOA) journalists and staff by March 23 and restore the broadcaster’s operations. In a sweeping decision announced on Tuesday, US District Judge Royce C. Lamberth found that actions taken under the agency’s previous leadership to shut down large parts of VOA and its sister networks violated federal law and the agency’s statutory mandate. The ruling directs USAGM to return VOA and affiliated networks to the air and reinstate employees who had been dismissed or placed on leave. The dispute stems from restructuring measures carried out in 2025 under Kari Lake, an American political figure and former television news anchor who later became a prominent supporter of US President Donald Trump. In early 2025, the Trump administration brought Lake into USAGM — the independent federal agency that oversees VOA and other US government-funded international broadcasters. She was named senior adviser to ...